FAQ

(Why?) Evidence-Based Treatments for War-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Publication date: 22.10.2024

Migration Studies – Review of Polish Diaspora, 2024 (L), Issue 2 (192), pp. 169 - 188

https://doi.org/10.4467/25444972SMPP.24.005.19672

Authors

,
Agnieszka Popiel
SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9990-4971 Orcid
All publications →
,
Ewa Pragłowska
SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1783-6456 Orcid
All publications →
Bogdan Zawadzki
University of Warsaw
, Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6578-8412 Orcid
All publications →

Titles

(Why?) Evidence-Based Treatments for War-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

Any war increases at least twice the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in its victims. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects about 10% of car accident victims, half of the people who have experienced rape or war, and victims of violence. PTSD negatively affects the quality of life. It is associated with direct and indirect health costs. Any effort to treat and prevent PTSD with evidence-based methods is our obligation toward trauma victims and to professionals at an increased risk of job-related traumatization. In the paper, we will focus on three aspects. First – a rationale of decision making – the role of evidence in elaborating the intervention guidelines will be described. Second, an overview of evidence-based guidelines for the psychological help and for the diagnosis and treatment of PTSD will be presented, according to current NICE (National Institute of Care Excellence) and APA (American Psychological Association) and meta-analyses focusing on war-related trauma. The third part of the paper will be devoted to the prevention of PTSD in people who are exposed to professional, duty-related trauma – the data on the efficacy of preventive interventions together with a short description of the programs (on the example of “Effective performance under stress” program designed to prevent PTSD in firefighters and other professions).

References

Download references

American Psychiatric Association (APA). (1980). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Third edition. Text revision. Washington: American Psychiatric Association.

American Psychological Association (APA). (2014). Guidelines for prevention in psychology. American Psychologist69, 285–296.

Andreasen N. C. (2004). Acute and delayed posttraumatic stress disorders: a history and some issues. American Journal of Psychiatry 161,1321–1323.

Bryant R. A., Nickerson A., Morina N., Liddell B. (2023). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Refugees. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology19, 413–436. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurevclinpsy-080921-080359

Bisson J. I., Jenkins P. L., Alexander J., Bannister C. (1997). Randomized controlled trial of psychological debriefing for victims of acute burn trauma. British Journal of Psychiatry171, 78–81.

Bisson J. I., Roberts N. P., Andrew M., Cooper R., Lewis C. (2013). Psychological therapies for protect post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews12: CD003388. two: 10.1002/14651858.CD003388.pub4

Bonnano G.A. (2005). Resilience in the face of potential trauma. Current Directions in Psychological Science14(3), 135–138.

Caplan G., Grunebaum H. (1967). Perspectives on primary prevention. A review. Archives of General Psychiatry17(3), 331–346. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1967.01730270075012

Długosz P. (2023). War trauma and strategies for coping with stress among Ukrainian refugees staying in Poland. Journal of Migration and Health8, 100196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmh.2023.100196

Espie E., Gaboulaud V., Baubet T., Casas G., Mouchenik Y., Yun O., … Moro M. (2009). Traumarelated psychological disorders among Palestinian children and adults in Gaza and West Bank, 2005–2008. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 3(1), 21. doi: 10.1186/1752–4458-3-21

Feldner M. T., Monson C. M., Friedman M. J. (2007). A critical analysis of approaches to targeted PTSD prevention: Current status and theoretically derived future directions. Behavior Modification31(1), 80–116.

Guyatt G. H., Oxman A. D., Vist G. E., Kunz R., Falck-Ytter Y., Alonso-Coello P., Schünemann H. J., GRADE Working Group (2008). GRADE: an emerging consensus on rating quality of evidence and strength of recommendations. BMJ (Clinical research ed.)336(7650), 924–926. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39489.470347.AD

Javanbakht A. (2022). Addressing war trauma in Ukrainian refugees before it is too late. European Journal of Psychotraumatology13(2), 2104009. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2022.2104009

Howlett J. R., Stein M. B. (2016). Prevention of trauma and stressor-related disorders: A review. Neuropsychopharmacology Reviews41(1), 357–369.

Kang T. S., Goodwin R., Hamama-Raz Y., Leshem E., Ben-Ezra M. (2023). Disability and posttraumatic stress symptoms in the Ukrainian General Population during the 2022 Russian Invasion. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences32, e21. https://doi.org/10.1017/S204579602300015X

Kazdin A. E. (Ed.). (2016). Methodological Issues and Strategies in Clinical Research (4th ed.). American Psychological Association. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv1chrzdj

Kessler R. C., Berglund P., Demler O., Jin R., Merikangas K. R., Walters E. E. (2005). Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry62(6), 593–602. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.593

Kuroń M: 2023, personal communication.

Kuroń M, Szymanik P, Tworus R. (2022). Poprawa dostępu do usług społecznych w zakresie zdrowia psychicznego. Warszawa: Wojskowy Instytut Medyczny – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy (workshop materials).

Mayou R. A., Ehlers A., Hobbs M. (2000). Psychological debriefing for road traffic accidents: Threeyear follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. British Journal of Psychiatry176, 589–593.

Mesa-Vieira C., Haas A. D., Buitrago-Garcia D., Roa-Diaz Z. M., Minder B., Gamba M., Salvador D., Jr, Gomez D., Lewis M., Gonzalez-Jaramillo W. C., Pahud de Mortanges A., Buttia C., Muka T., Trujillo N., Franco O. H. (2022). Mental health of migrants with pre-migration exposure to armed conflict: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet. Public Health7(5), e469–e481. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(22)00061-5

Mitchell J. T., Everly G. S. Jr (1995). Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) and the prevention of work-related traumatic stress among high risk occupational groups. W: G. S. Everly Jr, J. M. Lating (red.), Psychotraumatology. Key papers and core concepts in post-traumatic stress (s. 267–280). New York: Plenum Press.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). (2005). The treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Understanding NICE guidance – information for people with PTSD, their advocates and carers, and the public. London: NICE.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). (2018). Post-traumatic stress disorder. London: NICE.

Perkins J. D., Ajeeb M., Fadel L., Saleh G. (2018). Mental health in Syrian children with a focus on post-traumatic stress: A cross-sectional study from Syrian schools. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 53(11), 1231–1239. doi: 10.1007/s00127-018-1573-3

Popiel A., Pragłowska E. (2009a). Psychopathology of reactions to traumatic events. In: J. Strelau, B. Zawadzki, M. Kaczmarek (eds.), Psychological consequences of trauma: conditioning and therapy (pp. 34–63). Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar.

Popiel A., Pragłowska E. (2009b). Therapy of posttraumatic disorders. In: J. Strelau, B. Zawadzki, M. Kaczmarek (eds.), Psychological consequences of trauma: conditioning and therapy (s. 343–370). Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar.

Popiel A., Zawadzki B. (2023). Psychoterapia-Quo vadis? Nauka, 3, 61–85. DOI: 10.24425/nauka.2023.147311

Popiel A., Zawadzki B., Pragłowska E., Habrat P., Gajda P. (2019a). Skuteczne działanie w stresie [Effective performance under stress. PTSD prevention program for people at risk of occupational traumatization]. Gdansk: GWP.

Popiel A., Zawadzki B., Pragłowska E.(2019b). Skuteczne działanie w stresie – osobisty niezbędnik [Effective performance under stress a personal guide]. Gdansk: GWP.

Popiel A., Zawadzki B., Pragłowska E., Teichman Y. (2015). Prolonged exposure, paroxetine and the combination in the treatment of PTSD following a motor vehicle accident. A randomized clinical trial – The “TRAKT” study. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 48, 17–26.

Popiel A., Zawadzki B. (2021). From research to the implementation of methods for the treatment and prevention of PTSD. Przegląd Psychologiczny64(1), 129–144. https://doi.org/10.31648/przegldpsychologiczny.7788

Porter M., Haslam N. (2005). Predisplacement and postdisplacement factors associated with mental health of refugees and internally displaced persons: a meta-analysis. JAMA294(5), 602–612. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.294.5.602

Ruzek J. I., Brymer M. J., Jacobs A. K., Layne C. M., Vernberg E. M., Watson P. J. (2007). Psychological first aid. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 29(1), 17–49. https://doi.org/10.17744/mehc.29.1.5racqxjueafabgwp

Turrini G., Purgato M., Ballette F., Nosè M., Ostuzzi G., Barbui C. (2017). Common mental disorders in asylum seekers and refugees: umbrella review of prevalence and intervention studies. International Journal of Mental Health Systems11, 51. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-017-0156-0

Torchalla I., Strehlau V. (2018). The Evidence Base for Interventions Targeting Individuals With Work-Related PTSD: A Systematic Review and Recommendations. Behavior Modification, 42(2), 273–303. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445517725048

von der Warth R., Dams J., Grochtdreis T., König H. H. (2020). Economic evaluations and cost analyses in posttraumatic stress disorder: a systematic review. European Journal of Psychotraumatology11(1), 1753940. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2020.1753940

WHO (2018). ICD-11. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. Eleventh Revision. Geneva: World Health Organization.

Yousef L., Ebrahim O., AlNahr M. H., Mohsen F., Ibrahim N., Sawaf B. (2021). War-related trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder prevalence among Syrian university students. European Journal of Psychotraumatology12(1), 1954774. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1954774

Zaliska O., Oleshchuk O., Forman R., Mossialos E. (2022). Health impacts of the Russian invasion in Ukraine: need for global health action. Lancet (London, England)399(10334), 1450–1452. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00615-8

Zawadzki B., Popiel A. (2012). Temperamental traits and severity of PTSD symptoms: The data from longitudinal studies of motor vehicle accidents survivors. Journal of Individual Differences, 33, 257–267.

Zawadzki B., Strelau J. (2008). Post-traumatic disorders as a consequence of the disaster. Science, 5(2), 47–55.

Information

Information: Migration Studies – Review of Polish Diaspora, 2024 (L), Issue 2 (192), pp. 169 - 188

Article type: Original article

Authors

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9990-4971

Agnieszka Popiel
SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9990-4971 Orcid
All publications →

SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities

https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1783-6456

Ewa Pragłowska
SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1783-6456 Orcid
All publications →

SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6578-8412

Bogdan Zawadzki
University of Warsaw
, Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6578-8412 Orcid
All publications →

University of Warsaw
Poland

Published at: 22.10.2024

Article status: Open

Licence: CC BY  licence icon

Percentage share of authors:

Agnieszka Popiel (Author) - 33.33%
Ewa Pragłowska (Author) - 33.33%
Bogdan Zawadzki (Author) - 33.33%

Information about author:

Agnieszka Popiel – dr hab., prof. Uniwersytetu SWPS – lekarz psychiatra, psychoterapeutka, superwizorka i badaczka psychoterapii (głownie zagadnienia terapii i profilaktyki PTSD). Członkini zarządu European Association for Clinical Psychology and Psychological Treatment (EACLIPT), oraz Humanitarian Crisis Working Group w European Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies (EABCT).

Ewa Pragłowska – dr n. hum. specjalistka psychologii klinicznej, psychoterapeutka, superwizorka psychoterapii. Autorla licznych badań i publikacji poświęconych zaburzeniom afektywnym, psychoterapii poznawczo-behawioralnej i PTSD. W Uniwersytecie SWPS współkieruje szkołą i kliniką psychoterapii poznawczo-behawioralnej.

Bogdan Zawadzki – profesor doktor habilitowany, profesor zwyczajny Wydziału Psychologii Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego. Opublikował blisko 180 prac naukowych dotyczących psychologii różnic indywidualnych (osobowości/temperamentu), psychologii traumatycznego stresu (terapii i profilaktyki zaburzeń potraumatycznych).

Article corrections:

-

Publication languages:

English