title: Therapeutic Assessment of Complex Trauma: A Single-Case Time-Series Study.
abstract: The cumulative effect of repeated traumatic experiences in early childhood incrementally increases the risk of adjustment problems later in life. Surviving traumatic environments can lead to the development of an interrelated constellation of emotional and interpersonal symptoms termedcomplex posttraumatic stress disorder(CPTSD). Effective treatment of trauma begins with a multimethod psychological assessment and requires the use of several evidence-based therapeutic processes, including establishing a safe therapeutic environment, reprocessing the trauma, constructing a new narrative, and managing emotional dysregulation. Therapeutic Assessment (TA) is a semistructured, brief intervention that uses psychological testing to promote positive change. The case study of Kelly, a middle-aged woman with a history of repeated interpersonal trauma, illustrates delivery of the TA model for CPTSD. Results of this single-case time-series experiment indicate statistically significant symptom improvement as a result of participating in TA. We discuss the implications of these findings for assessing and treating trauma-related concerns, such as CPTSD.
authors.affiliation: Azienda Sanitaria Locale, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tarocchi
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aschieri
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fantini
authors.forename: Justin D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Smith
keywords: Therapeutic Assessment; complex trauma; single-case experiment; time series