Combining biofeedback and Narrative Exposure Therapy for persistent pain and PTSD in refugees: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
Many traumatised refugees suffer from both persistent pain and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To date, no specific guidelines exist for treatment of this group of patients. This paper presents data on a pilot treatment study conducted with 15 traumatised refugees with persistent pain and PTSD.


METHODS
Participants received 10 sessions of pain-focused treatment with biofeedback (BF) followed by 10 sessions of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET). Structured interviews and standardised questionnaires were used to assess symptoms of pain intensity, pain disability, PTSD and quality of life directly before and after treatment and at 3 months follow-up.


RESULTS
Following the combined intervention, participants showed a significant reduction in both pain and PTSD symptoms, as well as improved quality of life. Additionally, biofeedback increased motivation for subsequent trauma-focused therapy, which in turn was related to larger PTSD treatment gains.


CONCLUSIONS
This pilot study provides initial evidence that combining BF and NET is safe, acceptable, and feasible in patients with co-morbid persistent pain and PTSD.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland.
Naser
N
Morina
Thomas
T
Maier
Richard
R
Bryant
Christine
C
Knaevelsrud
Lutz
L
Wittmann
Michael
M
Rufer
Ulrich
U
Schnyder
Julia
J
Müller