title: Integrative testimonial therapy: an Internet-based, therapist-assisted therapy for German elderly survivors of the World War II with posttraumatic stress symptoms.
abstract: Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral treatments are known to be effective for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults. However, evidence for effective treatments for older persons with PTSD, particularly elderly war trauma survivors, is scarce. In an open trial, 30 survivors of World War II aged 65 to 85 years (mean, 71.73 years; SD, 4.8; n = 17 women) with PTSD symptoms were treated with a Web-based, therapist-assisted cognitive-behavioral/narrative therapy for 6 weeks. Intent-to-treat analyses revealed a significant decrease in PTSD severity scores (Cohen's d = 0.43) and significant improvements on secondary clinical outcomes of quality of life, self-efficacy, and posttraumatic growth from pretreatment to posttreatment. All improvements were maintained at a 3-month follow-up. The attrition rate was low (13.3%), with participants who completed the trial reporting high working alliance and treatment satisfaction. Results of this study suggest that integrative testimonial therapy is a well accepted and potentially effective treatment for older war trauma survivors experiencing PTSD symptoms.
authors.affiliation: *Treatment Centre for Torture Victims, Berlin, Germany; †Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Freie University, Berlin, Germany; ‡National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT; §Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT; and ∥Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, HELIOS Hansehospital Stralsund, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Knaevelsrud
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Böttche
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Pietrzak
authors.forename: Harald Jürgen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Freyberger
authors.forename: Babette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Renneberg
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kuwert
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D055048:Integrative Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047789:World War II