Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Postdisaster Distress: A Promising Transdiagnostic Approach to Treating Disaster Survivors
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Cognitive-behavioral therapy for postdisaster distress (CBT-PD) is a transdiagnostic intervention that has been used following major disasters such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina. In this study, we report findings from a community-based treatment program that offered CBT-PD to individuals who experienced Hurricane Sandy. METHOD: Eight trained community therapists delivered CBT-PD to 342 adults who had been exposed to Hurricane Sandy. Participants were assessed at referral, pretreatment, intermediate treatment, posttreatment and 5-month follow-up. RESULTS: The overall prepost effect size was 1.41, indicating large improvement pre to posttreatment. Gains were maintained at follow-up. Timing of the intervention did not affect outcome. Participants who received the intervention early (i.e., 10 to 15 months after Sandy) had the same improvement as those who received it later (i.e., 21 to 26 months after Sandy). Similarly, there was no difference in outcome between individuals with severe as compared with moderate distress at pretreatment. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that CBT-PD is appropriate for a range of individuals with moderate to severe distress and that it has benefit both early on as well as two years postdisaster. Findings add to growing literature that CBT-PD should be considered as one important component of a larger disaster response system. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Overall, the results of five studies showed that the interventions EFT, exposure-based CBT, EMDR, MBSR, CBT-PD, and the Trauma Therapy Program were successful in reducing psychological distress and/or subclinical symptoms.
“Overall, the results of five studies showed that the interventions EFT, exposure-based CBT, EMDR, MBSR, CBT-PD, and the Trauma Therapy Program were successful in reducing psychological distress and/or subclinical symptoms [49,52,56,57,60].”
In an uncontrolled pre-post-test study of N = 342 adults from New York State exposed to Hurricane Sandy in 2012, CBT-PD produced significant reductions in distress with large improvements from pre- to post-treatment.
“Significant reductions in distress throughout the intervention were found, with large improvements from pre- to post-treatment.”
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- Authors
- Hamblen, J. L., Norris, F. H., Symon, K. A., & Bow, T. E.
- Affiliations
- National Center for PTSD (US)
- Dartmouth College (US)
- VNS Health (US)
- ORCID
- Hamblen, Jessica L.
- Venue
- Psychological Trauma Theory Research Practice and Policy
- Published
- 2017-08
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- Suppl 1
- Pages
- 130-136
- ISSN
- 1942-9681 (ISSN-L)
- 1942-969X
- OpenAlex
- W2552141039
- Cited by
- 23
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 1.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Trauma Theory Research Practice and Policy (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Visiting Nurse Association of New York
- American Red Cross
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Emergency Medical Services › Disaster Response and Management
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Disaster Management and Resilience
- Keywords
- transdiagnostic treatment, disaster survivors, Hurricane Sandy, post-traumatic stress disorder, community-based treatment, disaster response, intervention timing, maintenance of treatment effects, community therapists
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Analysis of Variance, Disasters, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Health Personnel, Humans, Interview, Psychological, Male, Middle Aged, Stress, Psychological, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Treatment Outcome, Survivors, Young Adult, Cyclonic Storms, Time-to-Treatment
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