The Effectiveness of Narrative Exposure Therapy in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Autobiographical Memory

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 دانشجوی دکتری روان شناسی دانشگاه تربیت مدرس، تهران، ایران

2 دانشیار، گروه روانشناسی دانشگاه تربیت مدرس، تهران، ایران

3 استاد، گروه روان شناسی دانشگاه خوارزمی، تهران، ایران

4 دانشیار، گروه روانشناسی دانشگاه علامه طباطبایی، تهران، ایران

Abstract

Introduction:Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is considerd an attenuator of anxiety disorder which affects many of psychological traumatic survivors and impaires autobiographical memory (AM). The aim of this research was to investigate effectiveness of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) on improving Autobiographical Memory (AM) and its components. This treatment contains many components of exposing plus elements of testimony therapy.
Method:A group of 24 women with betrayed experience andPTSD symptom were assigned into experimental and control groups randomly. Participants were clinically interviewed and then Impact of Event scale-revised (IES-R), Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT), Personal Goals Scale, Twenty Statements Test (TST), and Autobiographical Memory (AM) interview were administered. The experimental group received eight sessions of treatment,whereas no intervention received by the control group. Subjects in both groups repeated the above scales and tests immediately after treatment and three months later, and Autobiographical Memory (AM) interview. Data was analyzed by using repeated measures analysis of variance.
Results: The results of statistical analysis showed that PTSD significantly reduced in experimental group immediately after therapy and in three months follow-up. Autobiographical Memory (AM) specificity increased significantly. The unrelated content with trauma and positive impact on the definition of self in the experimental group was increased significantly. The degree of independence of the stated objectives did not change dramatically.
Conclusion: The success of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) in improving the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder confirms that memory of the impact has been well integrated into the Autobiographical Memory (AM). Disorder associated with this memory has also been improved with the breakdown of the fear network and access to the details of Autobiographical Memory (AM).

Keywords

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 07 September 2016
  • Revise Date: 30 October 2017
  • Accept Date: 30 October 2017

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