Citation

Drožđek B, Kamperman AM, Bolwerk N, Tol WA, Kleber RJ. J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 2012; 200(9): 758-765.

Affiliation

Psychotrauma Centrum Zuid Nederland, Reinier van Arkel groep, Bethaniestraat 10, Den Bosch, the Netherlands. drozdek@worldonline.nl

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/NMD.0b013e318266f860

PMID

22922235

Abstract

Studies on group treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in asylum seekers and refugees are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of three different trauma-focused day-treatment group programs for treatment of PTSD in male asylum seekers and refugees. Three treatment groups (n = 56) and a waitlisted control group (n = 16) of help-seeking Iranian and Afghani patients were assessed with a set of self-rated symptom checklists for PTSD, anxiety, depression, and psychoticism 1 week before and 2 weeks after treatment. There are no indications that the 2 days' group program with three nonverbal and two group psychotherapy sessions per week is less effective in reducing symptoms than the program with the same amount of sessions spread over 3 days per week. The trauma-focused day-treatment group seems a promising approach for treatment of PTSD among asylum seekers and refugees in industrialized settings.

Language: en