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Randomized Controlled Trial of Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Children and Adolescents Exposed to Tsunami in Thailand

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 April 2014

Nuttorn Pityaratstian ,
Vinadda Piyasil ,
Panom Ketumarn ,
Nanthawat Sitdhiraksa ,
Sirirat Ularntinon  and
Pornjira Pariwatcharakul
Nuttorn Pityaratstian*
Affiliation:
Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Vinadda Piyasil
Affiliation:
Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health, Bangkok, Thailand
Panom Ketumarn
Affiliation:
Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Nanthawat Sitdhiraksa
Affiliation:
Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Sirirat Ularntinon
Affiliation:
Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health. Bangkok, Thailand
Pornjira Pariwatcharakul
Affiliation:
Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
*
Reprint requests to Nuttorn Pityaratstian, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand. E-mail: drnuttorn@yahoo.com
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Abstract

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common and debilitating consequence of natural disaster in children and adolescents. Accumulating data show that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for PTSD. However, application of CBT in a large-scale disaster in a setting with limited resources, such as when the tsunami hit several Asian countries in 2004, poses a major problem. Aims: This randomized controlled trial aimed to test for the efficacy of the modified version of CBT for children and adolescents with PSTD. Method: Thirty-six children (aged 10–15 years) who had been diagnosed with PSTD 4 years after the tsunami were randomly allocated to either CBT or wait list. CBT was delivered in 3-day, 2-hour-daily, group format followed by 1-month posttreatment self-monitoring and daily homework. Results: Compared to the wait list, participants who received CBT demonstrated significantly greater improvement in symptoms of PTSD at 1-month follow-up, although no significant improvement was observed when the measures were done immediately posttreatment. Conclusions: Brief, group CBT is an effective treatment for PTSD in children and adolescents when delivered in conjunction with posttreatment self-monitoring and daily homework.

Keywords

Post-traumatic stress disordercognitive behavioural therapydisastertsunami
Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 43 , Issue 5 , September 2015 , pp. 549 - 561
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2014 

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