TY - JOUR PY - 2006// TI - Taking charge: a pilot curriculum of self-defense and personal safety training for female veterans with PTSD because of military sexual trauma JO - Journal of interpersonal violence A1 - David, Wendy S. A1 - Simpson, Tracy L. A1 - Cotton, Ann J. SP - 555 EP - 565 VL - 21 IS - 4 N2 - The authors describe an overview of the pilot project Taking Charge, a 36-hour comprehensive behavioral intervention involving psychoeducation, personal safety, and self-defense training for 12 female veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from military sexual trauma. Self-defense training can incorporate the benefits of repeated exposure while teaching proactive cognitive and behavioral responses to the feared stimuli, and thus facilitate emotional and physical rescripting of and mastery over the trauma. Results up to 6 months follow-up indicate significant reductions in behavioral avoidance, PTSD hyperarousal, and depression, with significant increases in interpersonal, activity, and self-defense self-efficacy. The authors propose that this therapeutic self-defense curriculum provides an enhanced exposure therapy paradigm that may be a potent therapeutic tool in the treatment of PTSD.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0886-2605 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0886260505285723 ID - ref1 ER -