This mixed-methods pilot study aim to assess the changes in symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), dissociative symptoms, self-critique, and self-compassion following participation in a 16-week trauma-sensitive mindfulness and compassion (TMC) intervention. Adverse experiences of participation are also explored explicitly.
Seventeen clients most female with severe childhood abuse and PTSD and CPTSD participated in the TMC intervention. A mixed-methods design was used. All clients completed questionnaires before (pre) and after (post) the intervention to gain information on symptom change, self-critique, and self-compassion. Second, a qualitative interview addressing clients' experiences of participation, including an explicit focus on adverse experiences, was conducted.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
17
The TMC approach consists of 16 weekly group sessions, each lasting 2 hours. The first 10 sessions focus mainly on building mindfulness capacities, and the last 6 sessions on developing compassion toward self and others. Between sessions, participants are encouraged to do exercises with the support of audio files. The approach was developed with a transdiagnostic perspective, including clients with a variety of trauma-related symptoms.
Modum Bad
Vikersund, Norway
PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) -5
The Posttraumatic checklist (PCL-5) is a measure of perceived PTSD symptom severity in the past month. It was used to assess the likelihood of a PTSD diagnosis given 20 symptom descriptions (items) reflecting the DSM-5 criteria. Clients rated the extent to which they were troubled by PTSD symptoms on a 5-point Likert-type scale (0 for "Not at all" to 4 for "Extremely").
Time frame: Change from pre-treatment to immediately after the intervention
The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ)
A 17-item self-report measure of ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD were used to assess the CPTSD symptoms. Clients rated the extent to which they were troubled by CPTSD symptoms in the previous one month period on a 5-point Likert-type scale (0 for "Not at all to 4 for "Extremely"), reflecting the three clusters of disturbances in self-organization (DSO) in CPTSD (affective dysregulation, negative self-concept, and disturbances in relationships).
Time frame: Change from pre-treatment to immediately after the intervention
Trauma-Related Altered States of Consciousness (TRASC):
A 10-item self-report measure was used to survey a spectrum of dissociative experiences. Clients rated the extent to which they were troubled by TRASC symptoms on a 5-point Likert-type scale (0 for "Not at all" to 4 for "Extremely"). A total score was calculated across the items 1, 3, 5, 6, and 10 . Two items assessed depersonalization and derealization as in the Dissociative-PTSD subtype and the other items assessed the phenomenology of TRASC more broadly in reference to the subjective dimensions of time, thought, body, and emotion as per the 4-D model of trauma-related dissociation
Time frame: Change from pre-treatment to immediately after the intervention
General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7)
This symptom assessment tool measures anxiety with seven items in GAD-7 on a 4-point scale that assesses the impact on daily life.
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Time frame: Change from pre-treatment to immediately after the intervention
Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ 9)
This symptom assessment tool measures depression with nine items in PHQ-9 on a 4-point scale that assesses the impact on daily life.
Time frame: Change from pre-treatment to immediately after the intervention
Self-Compassion Scale (SCS)
The 26-item SCS consists of three positive subscales, namely Self-Kindness (5 items), Common Humanity (4 items), and Mindfulness (4 items) and three negative subscales, namely Self-Judgment (5 items), Isolation (4 items), and Over-Identification (4 items). Respondents rate their agreement with items on a 5-point Likert-type scale from "Almost always" (5) to "Almost never" (1).
Time frame: Change from pre-treatment to immediately after the intervention