The present study examined results of cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) in a 22-year-old, male, tortured asylum-seeker living in Sweden. The patient received 16 sessions of CBT involving mainly self-exposure to trauma-related cues. ⋯ The improvement was maintained at 6-month follow-up. The results suggest that CBT could be useful in treating tortured asylum-seekers and refugees despite the additional stressors experienced by asylum-seekers and refugees.
Metin Başoğlu, Solvig Ekblad, Sofie Bäärnhielm, and Maria Livanou.
Section of Trauma Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Division of Psychological Medicine, University of London, 38 Carver Road, London SE24 9LT, UK. m.basoglu@iop.kcl.ac.uk
J Anxiety Disord. 2004 Jan 1; 18 (3): 357-69.
AbstractThe present study examined results of cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) in a 22-year-old, male, tortured asylum-seeker living in Sweden. The patient received 16 sessions of CBT involving mainly self-exposure to trauma-related cues. Clinical measures (assessor- and self-rated) were completed at pre-treatment, weeks 6, 8, 12, and 16, post-treatment and at follow-up (1-, 3-, and 6-month). Treatment led to significant improvement across all measures of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. The improvement was maintained at 6-month follow-up. The results suggest that CBT could be useful in treating tortured asylum-seekers and refugees despite the additional stressors experienced by asylum-seekers and refugees.