THE EFFECT OF A COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL PROGRAM ON REDUCING POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER SYMPTOMS AMONG ABUSED WOMEN

Abstract

Women who have suffered from domestic or gender-related violence are a high-risk group, which is one of the risk factors of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The current study aims to examine the effects of a program based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to reduce the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms among women survivors of abuse in the Palestinian population. A quasi-experimental design with a purposive sample (n = 36) of women was employed in this study. It obtained the highest scores on the Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms Scale and was divided into an experimental group (n = 18) and a control group (n = 18) All participants were abused women who frequented women’s centers and social service centers in Jerusalem Governorate. The treatment program was grounded in the cognitive-behavioral techniques and lasted for 14 sessions , including cognitive restructuring, exposure, relaxation, emotion regulation, and problem-solving. The dependent variable of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms was measured pre-test, post-test, and follow-up. The results showed there were significant (α ≤ 0.05) differences in the post-test scores between the two groups, favoring the experimental group. And there were significant improvements from the pre-test to the post-test in the intervention group. There were no significant differences between the post-test and follow-up in favor of the intervention group, suggesting the stability of the intervention. The results of this study support the use of CBT to reduce trauma symptoms and encourage culturally appropriate interventions in conflict zones such as Palestine. As a recommendation, group therapy using CBT-planned programs has a valuable effect in reducing the symptoms of PTSD and can empower abused women.