Effectiveness of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy on quality of trauma-related memory, dissociative experiences, and body image dissatisfaction in adolescents with complex post-traumatic stress disorder: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND

Repeated or prolonged experience of trauma can lead to complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) on the quality of trauma-related memory, dissociative experiences, and body image dissatisfaction in adolescents with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD).

METHODS AND MATERIALS: This study was conducted as a single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial with pre-test, post-test, and 6-month follow-up of experimental and control groups. Based on a convenience sampling method, 31 adolescents with CPTSD were selected from welfare correctional centers in the city of Zahedan, Iran, in 2022. In total, 15 and 16 people were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups, respectively. The participants in the experimental group received 12 sessions of TF-CBT each for 45 min. The participants in the control group, however, received no intervention for the study. Data were analyzed using the SPSS-20 software, descriptive indices (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation), Chi-square, independent t-test, and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests.

RESULTS

The mean and standard deviation of participants' age in experimental and control groups were 14.60 ± 1.55 and 15 ± 1.71, respectively (t = -0.68, P = 0.502). The results of repeated measures ANOVA revealed that TF-CBT had a significant promoting effect on trauma-related memory quality, dissociative experiences, and body image dissatisfaction in adolescents with CPTSD (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, it is suggested that correction centers and other related centers utilize the results obtained from this study as scientific and practical guides to improve the mental health status of adolescents with CPTSD.