Compassion-Based Therapy for Trauma-Related Shame and Posttraumatic Stress: Initial Evaluation Using a Multiple...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Trauma Studies

Background:

• Shame is a significant factor in the development and persistence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Self-compassion interventions show promise for shame reduction in various clinical contexts.
• Systematic evaluation of self-compassion therapy for trauma-related shame is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a brief compassion-based therapy (CBT).
• To assess the efficacy of this CBT for reducing trauma-related shame and PTSD symptoms in adults exposed to trauma.

Main Methods:

• A multiple baseline experimental design was employed.
• The study included a community sample of 10 adults with elevated trauma-related shame and PTSD symptoms.
• Weekly assessments were conducted during baseline, a 6-week treatment phase, and 2- and 4-week follow-ups.

Main Results:

• 90% of participants showed reliable decreases in PTSD symptom severity by the end of treatment.
• 80% of participants achieved reliable reductions in shame.
• Improvements in self-compassion and decreases in self-blame were noted, with sustained effects at follow-up.

Conclusions:

• The brief compassion-based therapy demonstrated efficacy in reducing trauma-related shame and PTSD symptoms.
• The intervention was well-tolerated and highly satisfactory for participants.
• This therapy may serve as a standalone or adjunctive treatment for individuals with trauma-related shame and PTSD.