Psychological Interventions for Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Psychology
• Trauma Studies

Background:

• Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) involves PTSD symptoms and self-organization disturbances.
• Effective treatment strategies for CPTSD are currently limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review psychological interventions for CPTSD in children, adolescents, and adults.
• To identify effective therapeutic modalities and their applicability across age groups.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of international studies.
• Searched PubMed and Google Scholar adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
• Included 6 studies exploring various psychological interventions.

Main Results:

• Interventions included trauma-focused CBT, prolonged exposure, skills training, narrative therapy, mindfulness, and somatic therapies.
• Children and adolescents benefited from structured, phase-based approaches.
• Adults often required longer interventions for profound therapeutic processes.

Conclusions:

• Psychological interventions are effective for CPTSD symptoms.
• Limited treatments target CPTSD's unique self-organization deficits.
• Future research should focus on developing tailored interventions for these specific features.