Evaluation of a PTSD group intervention in a secondary care mental health service

Abstract

Introduction: Secondary care mental health services in the United Kingdom are under increasing pressure to meet the demand for support for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), however, there is a lack of clear guidance for treating complex cases of PTSD. Therefore, an evaluation was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of a pilot stabilisation group programme for clients with PTSD in a secondary care mental health service. Method: Attendees of the group (n = 64) were asked to complete routinely collected outcome measures of wellbeing (WEMWBS) and PTSD symptoms (PCL-5). A repeated-measures t-test analysed the pre and post group scores for statistical significance, whilst Reliable Change Indices analysed the data forreliable improvement and clinically significant change. Results: There was a significant difference between the pre and post group scores on the measures of wellbeing and PTSD symptoms. A large proportion of clients demonstrated reliable and clinically significant improvements in wellbeing. A small proportion of service users demonstrated clinically significant improvements in PTSD symptoms. Conclusion: The intervention shows promise as an initial stage of trauma treatment due to the improvements in wellbeing. However, a large proportion of clients are likely to require further intervention to reduce symptoms of PTSD.