Affect Management Group for Adult Survivors of Childhood Trauma

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Problems of self regulation, e.g. emotional dysfunction, represent a core symptom of adult patients with traumatic childhood experiences. The study intends to evaluate the efficiency of a 14-week group therapy for adult survivors of relational trauma in childhood. Main interventions are psychoeducation about the sequelae of childhood trauma, teaching of skills for affect regulation and techniques for activating resources. The hypothesis is that the group therapy significantly improves the participant's capacity in emotion management and self-soothing.

Detailed Description
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Problems of self regulation, e.g. emotional dysfunction, represent a core symptom of adult patients with traumatic childhood experiences. Since sufficient capacity for self soothing and emotional regulation are essential for trauma exposure, modern trauma therapy concepts are phase-oriented, beginning with working on stabilization. The study intends to evaluate the efficiency of a 14-week group therapy for adult survivors of relational trauma in childhood. Main interventions are psychoeducation about the sequelae of childhood trauma, teaching of skills for affect regulation and techniques for activating resources. Inclusion criteria are clinical significant problems with self-regulation and the presence of childhood trauma. Outcome measures are based on self-rating questionnaires, clinical interviews and an experimental computer-task at timepoint pre-, post- and 3-month-follow-up. There is no control condition in the pilot-study phase.

Conditions
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Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Skills for affect regulation (behavior)


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Adults with moderate to severe relational trauma in childhood (emotional, sexual or physical abuse, emotional or physical neglect) DSM-IV diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder Exclusion Criteria: Severe dissociation Environmental safety problems Ongoing enmeshment with perpetrators Psychotic disorders Severe depression Acute suicidality Substance abuse Severe cognitive decline

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 70 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Behavioral: Skills for affect regulation (behavior)|nan|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Score on affect regulation capacity at week 14(post-interventional) and month 3 (follow-up) |  | 2008 | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Score on depression at week 14 (post-interventional) and month 3 (follow-up) |  | 2008 | 
| Score on life quality at week 14 (post-interventional) and month 3 (follow-up) |  | 2008 | 
| Score on personal resources at week 14 (post-interventional) and month 3 (follow-up) |  | 2008 | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Psychotherapy, Group, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Ambulatory Care