Neurocognitive functioning over the course of STAIR Narrative Therapy for ICD-11 complex PTSD

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with impairments in neurocognitive functions, particularly in memory, attention, and executive function. These problems can interfere with the individual's daily functioning and recovery. Given the different symptom features and potentially different neural profiles between ICD-11 complex PTSD (CPTSD) and PTSD, neurocognitive dysfunction is considered an even more serious problem in CPTSD. Still, no studies have directly examined whether neurocognitive deficits in CPTSD can improve over the course of treatment.Objective: This study examined whether neurocognitive functioning changes over the course of Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR) Narrative Therapy (SNT) by analyzing data from a pilot study of women with CPTSD related to childhood abuse.Methods: Thirteen women aged 21-46 years (M = 29.6 years) with childhood-abuse-related ICD-11 CPTSD were enrolled in this study. The International Trauma Interview was administered to diagnose CPTSD and assess its severity. Neurocognitive functions were evaluated using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) pretreatment, immediately posttreatment, and three months after treatment.Results: Among the RBANS scores, immediate memory and global cognitive scores significantly improved three months after treatment compared to pretreatment. No significant improvements over time were observed in scores for other cognitive domains, including visuospatial construction, attention, language, and delayed memory.Conclusions: These preliminary results suggest that SNT can improve immediate memory and global cognitive functioning as well as CPTSD symptoms. Further research is needed to verify these findings and understand neurobiological mechanisms underlying the effect of SNT on neurocognitive functioning.Trial registration number: UMIN000030889.