Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2022.455

PREDICTORS OF CHRONIC COMBAT-RELATED POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY FAVORABLE OUTCOMES; A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY IN CROATIA

Slobodanka Cvitanušić ; Psychiatric hospital “Sveti Ivan”, Zagreb, Croatia
Dolores Britvić ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Split, School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
Igor Filipčić ; Psychiatric hospital “Sveti Ivan”, Zagreb, Croatia
Tanja Frančišković ; Department of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, University of Rijeka School of Medicine, Rijeka, Croatia

Abstract

Background: Combat-related chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a therapeutically resistant disorder of the
fluctuating course. The success of a group psychotherapy is partial. The aim of this paper is to determine baseline characteristics of
veterans for whom a group psychotherapy will be the effective psychotherapeutic treatment.
Subjects and methods: We performed this prospective cohort study in two geographically distant institutions: Regional
Psychotrauma Center at the Psychiatric Clinic Split, and the Daily Hospital of the Psychiatric Hospital "Sveti Ivan" Zagreb, Croatia.
We selected a consecutive sample of 86 veterans with combat-related chronic PTSD admitted to the group psychotherapy during
2009-2012. The primary outcome was ≥5% improvement in PTSD symptoms severity measured by Mississippi Scale for Combat-
Related PTSD and adjusted for the baseline Mississippi scale score. Predictors were participants’ 17 baseline sociodemographic
and clinical characteristics and psychological features like personality traits, stress-coping mechanisms, and depression.
Results: We identified two patients’ segments with significantly higher likelihood for the favorable treatment outcome. The first
one were patients with the low score (≤8) on the phobia scale and high score (≥7) on the hysterical personality scale. In this segment
100% of patients experienced a favorable treatment outcome. The second one were the patiens with a higher score (>8) on the
phobia scale, the low score (≤12) on the free-floating anxiety scale and the high score ≥8) on the obsession scale. In this segment,
64% experienced the favorable treatment outcome.
Conclusion: The favorable outcome of the group psychotherapy of PTSD symptoms severity in patients with combat-related chronic
PTSD can be predicted before the start of the treatment. The favorable outcome should be expected in patients with the low phobia and
pronounced hysteria personality traits, or in patients with higher phobia, but with low free-floating anxiety and low obsession.

Keywords

PTSD; combat; group psychotherapy; psychotherapy outcome; Croatia

Hrčak ID:

290313

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/290313

Publication date:

3.11.2022.

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