Citation

Bisson JI, Shepherd JP, Joy D, Probert R, Newcombe RG. Br. J. Psychiatry 2004; 184: 63-69.

Affiliation

Department of Liaison Psychiatry, Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK. BissonJI@Cardiff.ac.uk

Comment In:

Evid Based Ment Health 2004;7(3):74.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, Royal College of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

14702229

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Early single-session psychological interventions, including psychological debriefing following trauma, have not been shown to reduce psychological distress. Longer early psychological interventions have shown some promise. AIMS: To examine the efficacy of a four-session cognitive-behavioural intervention following physical injury. METHOD: A total of 152 patients attending an accident and emergency department displaying psychological distress following physical injury were randomised 1-3 weeks post-injury to a four-session cognitive-behavioural intervention that started 5-10 weeks after the injury or to no intervention and then followed up for 13 months. RESULTS: At 13 months, the total Impact of Event Scale score was significantly more reduced in the intervention group (adjusted mean difference=8.4,95% CI 2.4-14.36). Other differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: A brief cognitive-behavioural intervention reduces symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in individuals with physical injury who display initial distress.

Language: en