title: Cognitive-behavioral intervention for young tsunami victims.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of the cognitive-behavioral intervention provided to children by volunteer professionals in a tsunami-hit area in Thailand. The intervention was aimed to prevent the severe development of post traumatic stress symptoms, and to help the children who might recover spontaneously to do so more quickly.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and sixty children in Ranong province voluntarily participated in 2-days group activities on the 57h day after the tsunami. The manualized intervention had been designed based on cognitive-behavioral model. Three domains of post traumatic stress reactions were targeted, intrusion, arousal, and avoidance. The Children's Impact of Events Scale (13) (CRIES-13) was completed by the participants before and 2 weeks after the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The program was generally well understood by the children. No difference in CRIES scores was observed before and after the children entered the intervention program. However when the sample was categorized into two groups, the group that was more likely to develop PTSD showed a significant reduction in the scores, whereas a significant increase in the scores was evident in the other group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings supported the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral intervention in the children who were prone to develop PTSD. The program needed to be adapted to suit the religious, socio-economic, and cultural background of the sample. The unchanged Avoidance scores in the present study were possibly explained by the general feeling that a tsunami might happen again and the parental involvement. The increase of post-intervention scores in otherwise normal sample, though not exceeding the cut-off raised some concern, and possibly the need for screening before the intervention.
authors.affiliation: Child Psychiatric Unit, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok 10330, Thailand. drnuttorn@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Nuttorn
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pityaratstian
authors.forename: Ketsiri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liamwanich
authors.forename: Nattawat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ngamsamut
authors.forename: Atsawin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Narkpongphun
authors.forename: Natthinee
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chinajitphant
authors.forename: Natapon
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Burapakajornpong
authors.forename: Wachira
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Thongphitakwong
authors.forename: Watchara
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Khunchit
authors.forename: Wanlapa
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weerapakorn
authors.forename: Bussakorn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rojanapornthip
authors.forename: Kanthika
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jayasvasti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003419:Crisis Intervention; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013785:Thailand