Time Perspective Therapy: A New Time-Based Metaphor Therapy for PTSD

Time perspective therapy (TPT) is a new time-based therapy that focuses on clients' perceptions of their past, present, and future. Based on Zimbardo's temporal theory and the utilization of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory, the authors have developed this new narrative therapy approach for the purpose of treating clients diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder. The goal of TPT is to identify clients' six time perspective factors and then work with and balance these perspectives to promote a more positive future orientation, replace their traumatic past negativity, and thereby create a more responsive and healthier individual.     

Symptoms of Meares-Irlen/Visual Stress Syndrome in subjects diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Several diagnostic symptoms of the visual-processing deficit Meares-Irlen/Visual Stress Syndrome are remarkably similar to symptom manifestations reported by individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). We surveyed the specific incidences of nine widely-recognised symptoms of visual stress (VS) in a group of subjects (n = 20) previously diagnosed with CFS. The presence of each symptom of VS in the CFS group was compared to its respective presence in both an age and sex matched healthy comparison group (n = 46), and an age and sex matched group comprised of individuals (n = 14) diagnosed with VS. Results showed the frequencies of all nine VS symptoms in the CFS-diagnosed group to be significantly higher (p = .032 – p < .0005) than in the comparison group, with only two symptoms being statistically less frequent in the CFS group than in the VS-diagnosed group. The average number of VS symptoms reported by the CFS group was also significantly higher than the comparison group, yet not significantly different from the VS group. Thus, the occurrence of VS symptoms in subjects diagnosed with CFS appears to be far greater than previously reported, which in turn may indicate the interplay of some yet to be identified underlying factor(s) common to both conditions.     

Alexithymia and Early Maladaptive Schemas in chronic pain patients

Psychological factors have an impact on subjective pain experience. The aim of this study was to explore the occurrence of alexithymia and Early Maladaptive Schemas in a sample of 271 first visit chronic pain patients of six pain clinics. The patients completed the study questionnaire consisting of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale‐20, the Finnish version of the Young Schema Questionnaire short form‐extended, the Beck Depression Inventory‐II, and pain variables. Alexithymic patients scored higher on Early Maladaptive Schemas and had more pain intensity, pain disability and depression than nonalexithymic patients. Both alexithymia and depression correlated significantly with most Early Maladaptive Schemas. The co‐occurrence of alexithymia, Early Maladaptive Schemas and depression seems to worsen the pain experience. Screening of alexithymia, depression and Early Maladaptive Schemas may help to plan psychological treatment interventions for chronic pain patients.     

Trauma and substance use: the role of defences and religious engagement

Substance use disorders commonly co-occur with posttraumatic stress disorder and are associated with greater impairment. There is some evidence to suggest that different coping strategies, including defence mechanisms and religious forms of coping, may buffer the relationship between trauma and SUDs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential moderating roles of defence mechanisms and religious coping on the already-established relationship between trauma symptoms and substance abuse. Data were gathered from a sample of college students (N?=?380). Trauma symptoms were associated with increased substance use and abuse. The use of immature defences was significantly associated with trauma and substance use. Increased substance abuse was also associated with higher rates of negative religious coping. Individuals who endorsed trauma symptoms were also more likely to use positive and negative religious coping. Defences and coping did not moderate the relationship between trauma and substance use.     

Delimiting Family in Syntheses of Research on Childhood Chronic Conditions and Family Life

Synthesis of family research presents unique challenges to investigators who must delimit what will be included as a family study in the proposed review. In this paper, the authors discuss the conceptual and pragmatic challenges of conducting systematic reviews of the literature on the intersection between family life and childhood chronic conditions. A proposed framework for delimiting the family domain of interest is presented. The framework addresses both topical salience and level of relevance and provides direction to future researchers, with the goal of supporting the overall quality of family research synthesis efforts. For users of synthesis studies, knowledge of how investigators conceptualize the boundaries of family research is important contextual information for understanding the limits and applicability of the results.     

Relationship of posttraumatic growth to symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression: A pilot study of Iraqi students

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) and psychopathology are common outcomes following exposure to adversity and trauma. We examined the relationship of PTG to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in a group of young Iraqi students with war trauma exposure. These young Iraqis had experienced an average of 13 different war‐related adversities. The prevalence of probable PTSD was 17.2% and probable depression 23.1%. PTSD was associated with higher and depression with lower PTG. In addition, the relationship between PTG and PTSD was stronger among males than females. Although PTSD and depression were relatively common, they were related to PTG in opposite directions.     

The impact of posttraumatic growth,transformational leadership,and self-efficacy on PTSD and depression symptom severity among combat Veterans

Previous research has established self-efficacy as essential to postdeployment adjustment among Veterans, and perceived transformational leadership is well known for its positive effects on follower outcomes across contexts. However, little is known regarding how transformational leadership may relate to posttraumatic growth and self-efficacy in fostering psychological wellbeing among combat Veterans. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of transformational leadership in predicting posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms among combat Veterans, as well as how posttraumatic growth and postdeployment coping self-efficacy may influence these relations. The study sample consisted of 130 combat Veterans recruited from a university, Veterans Affairs medical center, and the greater community. Path analysis based on bootstrapped resampling revealed postdeployment coping self-efficacy and perceived transformational leadership as predictors of lower PTSD and depression symptom severity. In addition, mediation modeling revealed that postdeployment coping self-efficacy mediated the relation between transformational leadership and both PTSD and depression, while posttraumatic growth did not predict PTSD symptoms. These findings may aid in the prediction of PTSD and depression symptoms among Veterans, which may then influence pre-deployment leadership training among military personnel as well as clinical treatment protocols for Veterans.     

创伤暴露程度对青少年物质滥用的影响：创伤后应激障碍与依恋的中介作用

为了考察汶川地震后青少年的创伤暴露程度、创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）、父母依恋和同伴依恋与物质滥用之间的关系,采用创伤暴露程度问卷、儿童创伤后应激障碍症状量表、父母与同伴依恋问卷和物质滥用问卷对汶川县和茂县的1435名中学生进行调查,选取有物质滥用的青少年354名作为本研究的对象。结果发现：创伤暴露程度可以直接正向预测作用物质滥用。不过,在创伤暴露与物质滥用直接关系之间加入PTSD、父母和同伴依恋之后,创伤暴露程度对物质滥用的直接预测作用不再显著,并且创伤暴露程度不能通过同伴依恋预测物质滥用,也不能通过PTSD经同伴依恋对物质滥用发挥多重中介作用;但创伤暴露程度能通过PTSD正向预测物质滥用,可以通过父母依恋负向预测物质滥用,并且创伤暴露程度还可以通过PTSD经过父母依恋对物质滥用发挥正向的多重中介作用。     

A new diagnosis of complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder,PTSD – a window of opportunity for the treatment of patients in the NHS?

The concept of complex trauma has been around for a long time and in 2018, it’s expected to become a new diagnosis in the International Classification of Diseases eleventh revision, ICD-11, the World Health Organisation, WHO, manual used formally in the NHS. Psychiatric diagnosis often does not sit well with psychoanalysis, which is at least as interested in unconscious phantasy as it is in symptoms. But as psychodynamically-trained practitioners in the NHS we need to engage with ICD-11 and apply our own understanding to service design so that patients have access to treatment which works for them. The service where I work (a secondary mental health team in the London borough of Lewisham) has already been receiving referrals for ‘complex trauma’ for some time, despite its not being formally classified. Patients so described are most often those with a history of childhood sexual abuse, and refugees with a history of brutality and torture. Differential diagnosis includes personality disorder since many have difficulties with interpersonal issues. In this paper I want to discuss how we might understand the new diagnosis of complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, and its implications for treatment in the NHS.