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Group Therapy for Complex PTSD: Experiences with Survivors of War, Torture, and Childhood Sexual Abuse

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Comprehensive Guide to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

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Abstract

Historically, group therapy is largely applied for the treatment of PTSD in US combat veterans. Further, this approach is also used and studied in the treatment of childhood sexual abuse survivors and survivors of torture and war trauma among asylum seekers and refugees. All these populations may suffer from complex PTSD. Experts have agreed upon that group therapy for complex PTSD should be sequenced and a multicomponent one.

Research on efficacy of group therapy for PTSD is still in its early stages. It has been suggested that this form of treatment is efficacious when compared to no treatment, but no specific group treatment type is favored.

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Abbreviations

CBT:

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

CPT:

Cognitive processing therapy

CSA:

Childhood sexual abuse

GBET:

Group-based exposure therapy

GTD:

Guided trauma disclosure

PFGT:

Present-focused group psychotherapy

PTSD:

Posttraumatic stress disorder

RCT:

Randomized control trial

SS:

Seeking Safety

TFGT:

Trauma-focused group therapy

VHA:

Veterans Health Administration

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychotrauma Centrum Zuid Nederland, Reinier van Arkel groep, Bethaniestraat 10, 5211 LJ, Den Bosch, The Netherlands

    Boris Drožđek

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  1. Boris Drožđek
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Correspondence to Boris Drožđek .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Buckinghamshire New University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, United Kingdom

    Colin R. Martin

  2. Kings College, London, United Kingdom

    Victor R. Preedy

  3. University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom

    Vinood B. Patel

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© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Drožđek, B. (2015). Group Therapy for Complex PTSD: Experiences with Survivors of War, Torture, and Childhood Sexual Abuse. In: Martin, C., Preedy, V., Patel, V. (eds) Comprehensive Guide to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08613-2_7-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08613-2_7-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-08613-2

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