Short communication, Note

DAY HOSPITAL TREATMENT AS A MISSING LINK FOR SINGLE PATIENTS WITH POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD): A PRELIMINARY STUDY

Slobodanka Kezić ; Psychiatric Hospital ‘’Sveti Ivan’’, Zagreb, Croatia
Dolores Britvić ; Department of Psychiatry, Clinical Hospital Center Split, Split, Croatia
Sandra Caratan ; Psychiatric Hospital ‘’Sveti Ivan’’, Zagreb, Croatia
Lada Goršić ; Psychiatric Hospital ‘’Sveti Ivan’’, Zagreb, Croatia
Ena Ivezić ; Psychiatric Hospital ‘’Sveti Ivan’’, Zagreb, Croatia
Katarina Matić ; Psychiatric Hospital ‘’Sveti Ivan’’, Zagreb, Croatia
Igor Filipčić ; Psychiatric Hospital ‘’Sveti Ivan’’, Zagreb, Croatia; Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the day hospital treatment outcome on severity of clinical manifestations,
general neuroticism and coping mechanisms in patients suffering from chronic combat-related PTSD.
Subjects and methods: The sample consisted of 38 consecutive patients admitted to the Day Hospital treatment of PTSD during
one year observation period. The average age of the sample was 46.03 years. The patients completed 3 self-report measures upon
admission to the hospital and upon discharge: The Mississippi scale for combat-related PTSD (M-PTSD), The Crown-Crisp
experiential index (CCEI), and The COPE inventory.
Results: There was no significant change in the severity of clinical manifestations of PTSD, general neuroticism and coping
mechanisms among the whole sample. However, compared to married participants and participants with children, single
participants and those without children reported higher levels of anxiety when admitted to the hospital, but lower levels at discharge.
In addition, patients without children reduced their avoidance behavior during the treatment.
Conclusion: This preliminary study showed that single patients and those without children may benefit more from the day
hospital treatment program. Our findings emphasize the importance of social support in the recovery process of severely traumatized
persons, and may assist with the development of more effective therapeutic approaches.

Keywords

PTSD; day hospital treatment; therapeutic intervention; single patients; coping

Hrčak ID:

175470

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/175470

Publication date:

7.6.2016.

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