Exploring the Efficacy of Anxiety and PTSD Therapeutic Techniques and Protocols in Practice During Ongoing Terrorism: Evidence From a Focus Group Research

Mooli Lahad, Dmitry Leykin, Ornit Rozenblat, Zvi Fajerman

Abstract


The aim of the present study is to describe the accumulated knowledge and experience of experts working, treating and living under ongoing threat setting, an understudied research topic. Using focus group approach, psychologists, clinical social workers and art therapists, staff members of the Sha'ar HaNegev Psychological Services Center (PSC) located in South Israel, were asked to describe their clinical experience of working with trauma affected children, adolescents and adults. Effective use of techniques and protocols along phases of treatment, indication of less effective techniques, newly developed techniques and clients' experience are reported and discussed.


Full Text:

PDF

References


Al-Krenawi, A., Graham, J. R., & Kanat-Maymon, Y. (2009). Analysis of trauma exposure, symptomatology and functioning in Jewish Israeli and Palestinian adolescents. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 195, 427. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.108.050393

Ayalon, O., & Lahad, M. (2000). Life on the Edge: Coping with Stress of War and Peace. Haifa: Nord Publications.

Baum, N. (2013). Professionals' Double Exposure in the Shared Traumatic Reality of Wartime: Contributions to Professional Growth and Stress. British Journal of Social Work.‏ http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bct085

Bisson, J. I., Roberts, N. P., Andrew, M., Cooper, R., & Lewis, C. (2013). Psychological therapies for chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults.‏ The Cochrane Database Systematic review. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003388.pub4

Becker, C. B., Zayfert, C., & Anderson, E. (2004). A survey of psychologists' attitudes towards and utilization of exposure therapy for PTSD. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 42, 277-292. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(03)00138-4

Barker, C., Pistrang, N., & Elliott, R. (2003). Research methods in clinical psychology: An introduction for students and practitioners. England: John Wiley & Sons.

Besser, A., & Neria, Y. (2009). PTSD symptoms, satisfaction with life, and prejudicial attitudes toward the adversary among Israeli civilians exposed to ongoing missile attacks. Journal of traumatic stress, 22, 268-275. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jts.20420

Breslau, N. (2009). The epidemiology of trauma, PTSD, and other posttrauma disorders. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 10, 198. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1524838009334448

Cahill, S. P., Foa, E. B., Hembree, E. A., Marshall, R. D., & Nacash, N. (2006). Dissemination of exposure therapy in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of traumatic stress, 19, 597-610. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jts.20173

Cloitre, M. (2009). Effective psychotherapies for posttraumatic stress disorder: a review and critique. CNS Spectr, 14, 32-43.

Cohen, E., Pat-Horenczyk, R., & Haar-Shamir, D. (2013). Making room for play: An empirically-informed intervention for toddlers and families under rocket fire. Journal of Clinical Social Work. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10615-013-0439-0

Cohen, J. A., Mannarino, A. P., & Knudsen, K. (2004) Treating childhood traumatic grief: A pilot study. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 43, 1225 1233. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.chi.0000135620.15522.38

Cukor, J., Olden, M., Lee, F., & Difede, J. A. (2010). Evidence based treatments for PTSD, new directions, and special challenges. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1208, 82-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05793.x

Cukor, J., Spitalnick, J., Difede, J. A., Rizzo, A., & Rothbaum, B. O. (2009). Emerging treatments for PTSD. Clinical Psychology Review, 29, 715-726. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05793.x

Daniel, T., & Mcleod, J. (2006). Weighing up the evidence: A qualitative analysis of how person-centred counsellors evaluate the effectiveness of their practice. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 6(4), 244-249.‏ http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14733140601024762

Department of Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense. (2004). VA/DoD clinical practice guideline for the management of posttraumatic stress, version 1.0. Washington, DC: Veterans Health Administration, Department of Defense. [Online] Available: http://www.healthquality.va.gov/ptsd/ptsd_full.pdf (April 23, 2014)

Diamond, G. M., Lipsitz, J. D., Fajerman, Z., & Rozenblat, O. (2010). Ongoing traumatic stress response (OTSR) in Sderot, Israel. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 41, 19-25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0017098

Farchi, M., & Gidron, Y. (2011). [Posttraumatic symptoms among children from Sderot]. Unpublished raw data.

Farhi, E., Lauden, A., Ifargan, G., & Fariger, M. D. (2008). Impact of Continuous Terrorism Missile Aattacks on the Emotional and Physical Strength of the Local Population in Sderot, Israel. Epidemiology, 19, S106.

Foa, E. B., Keane, T. M., Friedman, M. J., & Cohen, J. A. (2009). Effective treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder: Practice guidelines from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Second Edition. New York: Guilford Publications.

Foa, E. B., Gillihan, S. J., & Bryant, R. A. (2013). Challenges and Successes in Dissemination of Evidence-Based Treatments for Posttraumatic Stress Lessons Learned From Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(2), 65-111.‏ http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1529100612468841

Freedman, S., & Tuval-Mashiach, R. (2006). Mental Health Issues and Implications of Living under Ongoing Terrorist Threats. In L. A. Schein, H. I. Spitz, G. M. Burlingame, P. R. Muskin, (Eds), Psychological Effects of Catastrophic Disasters: Group Approaches to Treatment (p. 33-59). Howarth Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1529100612468841

Frueh, B. C., Grubaugh, A. L., Cusack, K. J., & Elhai, J. D. (2009). Disseminating evidence-based practices for adults with PTSD and severe mental illness in public-sector mental health agencies. Behavior modification, 33, 66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0145445508322619

Gray, M. J., Elhai, J. D., & Schmidt, L. O. (2007). Trauma Professionals' Attitudes Toward and Utilization of Evidence-Based Practices. Behavior modification, 31, 732. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0145445507302877

Hill, C. E., & Lambert, M. J. (2004). Methodological issues in studying psychotherapy processes and outcomes. Bergin and Garfield’s handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change, 5, 84-135.‏ [Online] Available: https://moodle.umons.ac.be/pluginfile.php/53661/mod_resource/content/1/handbook_of_psychotherapy_ch_4.pdf (April 9, 2014)

IDF Blog. (2014). Rocket Attacks on Israel from Gaza. [Online] Available: http://www.idfblog.com/facts-figures/rocket-attacks-toward-israel/ (March 3, 2014)

Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC). (2012). Working in an ongoing traumatic situation, what helps clinicians and what works for clients? Jerusalem; The Israel Trauma Coalition Oct. 2012 (unpublished)

Lahad, M., & Leykin, D. (2010). Ongoing exposure versus intense periodic exposure to military conflict and terror attacks in Israel. Journal of traumatic stress, 6, 691-698. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jts.20583

Lahad, M. (2000). Darkness over the abyss: supervising crisis intervention teams following disaster. Traumatology, 6, 273. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/153476560000600403

Lahad, M., Doron., M., Farchi., M., & Leykin, D. (2011). Treating PTSD among children using SEE FAR CBT. Unpublished manuscript.

Lahad, M., Farhi, M., Leykin, D., & Kaplansky, N. (2010). Preliminary study of a new integrative approach in treating post traumatic stress Disorder: SEE FAR CBT. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 37, 391-399. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2010.07.003

Mahoney, M. J. (1977). Cognitive therapy and research: A question of questions. Cognitive therapy and Research, 1(1), 5-16.‏ http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01173501

Mendes, D. D., Mello, M. F., Ventura, P., de Medeiros Passarela, C., & de Jesus Mari, J. (2008). A systematic review on the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder. The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 38, 241-259. http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/PM.38.3.b

National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). (2005). The management of PTSD in adults and children in primary and secondary care. Wilshire, United Kingdom: Cromwell Press. Retrieved April 23rd, 2014 from http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/10966/29772/29772.pdf

Pat-Horenczyk, R., Schiff, M., & Doppelt, O. (2006). Maintaining Routine despite Ongoing Exposure to Terrorism: A Healthy Strategy for Adolescents? Journal of Adolescent Health, 39, 199-205. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2005.11.021

Seidler, G. H., & Wagner, F. E. (2006). Comparing the efficacy of EMDR and trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of PTSD: a meta-analytic study. Psychological Medicine, 36, 1515-1522. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0033291706007963

Shalev, A., Tuval, R., Frenkiel-Fishman, S., Hadar, H., & Eth, S. (2006). Psychological responses to continuous terror: A study of two communities in Israel. American Journal of Psychiatry, 163(4), 667-673.‏ http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.163.4.667

Tanielian T., & Jaycox L. H. (Eds.) (2008). Invisible Wounds of War, Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery. Santa Monica Cal. RAN D Corp. [Online] Available: http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monographs/2008/RAND_MG720.pdf (April 9, 2014)

Thabet, A. A., Ibraheem, A. N., Shivram, R., Winter, E. A., & Vostanis, P. (2009). Parenting support and PTSD in children of a war zone. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 55, 226. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0020764008096100

Thabet, A. A., Tawahina, A. A., El Sarraj, E., & Vostanis, P. (2008). Exposure to war trauma and PTSD among parents and children in the Gaza strip. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 17, 191-199. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00787-007-0653-9

van Minnen, A., Hendriks, L., & Olff, M. (2010). When do trauma experts choose exposure therapy for PTSD patients? A controlled study of therapist and patient factors. Behaviour research and therapy, 48, 312-320. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2009.12.003

Waller, G. (2009). Evidence-based treatment and therapist drift. Behaviour research and therapy, 47, 119-127. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2008.10.018

White, B. (2013). Quarterly Update on Conflict and Diplomacy: 16 February–15 May 2013. Journal of Palestine Studies, 42(4), 126-149.‏ http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/jps.2013.42.2.128




DOI: https://doi.org/10.5296/ijsw.v1i1.5289

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c)



International Journal of Social Work  ISSN 2332-7278  E-mail: ijsw@macrothink.org

Copyright © Macrothink Institute 

To make sure that you can receive messages from us, please add the 'macrothink.org' domains to your e-mail 'safe list'. If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox', please check your 'spam' or 'junk' folder.