Posttraumatic symptom improvement in trauma practice triphasic therapy: Preliminary findings from a multisite,...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Trauma Therapy

Background:

• Trauma exposure and comorbid mental health conditions present complex challenges in therapy.
• Community-based mental health services require effective and generalizable treatment modalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of trauma practice (TP), a multimodal, triphasic trauma therapy.
• To examine phase-linked effects of TP on therapeutic outcomes in a community setting.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 39 clients and 15 clinicians participated in the study.
• Posttraumatic symptoms (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5) and trauma-related distress (Trauma Symptom Checklist-40) were measured at baseline, post-phase, and 6-month follow-up.
• Mixed effects models analyzed data, accounting for participant and clinician education level.

Main Results:

• Significant decreases in posttraumatic symptoms and trauma-related distress were observed, shifting from clinical to nonclinical levels.
• Symptom improvement occurred during each phase of TP, with the most substantial gains in Phase I.
• Treatment gains were maintained at 6-month follow-up, though sample sizes were limited.

Conclusions:

• The findings provide a strong foundation for the effectiveness and clinical utility of trauma practice (TP).
• Further research is warranted to explore the phase-specific benefits and broader applicability of TP in trauma therapy.