Post traumatic stress disorder in raped victims: applicability of interpersonal psychotherapy

• Grant number: 16/22584-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2017
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Feijó de Mello
• Grantee: Cecília Roberti Proença
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 14/12559-5 - Posttraumatic stress disorder and neuroprogression: new approaches to understand the effects of violence on mental functioning, AP.TEM

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: It is estimated that 18% of women suffer sexual abuse during their lifetime. Among them almost half develop posttraumatic stress disorder following the trauma. Exposure Therapy, a technique of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is considered the most efficacious treatment for these cases, nevertheless it has high rates of drop out. It was proposed that a therapy technique such as Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) adapted to the treatment of PTSD (IPT-PTSD), by Dr John Markowitz can have satisfactory results and better adherence. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess the applicability of IPT for the treatment of women with a confirmed diagnosis of PTSD, among victims of rape. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This study will be carried out within a cohort study of patients who developed PTSD after a recent sexual abuse, and healthy individuals (controls) without trauma history, which will be followed over a period of one year. All along this time, patients will participate in a controlled clinical trial, in which they will receive stardardized treatments (antidepressant or IPT) according to a previously defined manual of conduct. Sample: A randomized subsample of 20 individuals of this study, which are already receiving IPT-PTSD will be analyzed. Four trained psychotherapists are applying IPT-PTSD ("Treatment Manual: IPT for PTSD" (reproduced with permission of the authors). The sessions are being supervised by expert psychotherapists in IPT and recorded to certificate the quality of the therapy. Instruments: To confirm the diagnosis of PTSD and to assess the evolution symptoms of TEPT, anxiety and depression, the following instruments are used: Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), World Health Organization´s quality of life assessment (WHOQOL) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI). RESULTS: To assess the adherence to IPT, based on the number of patients that complete treatment, absenteeism and drop out rates, and to assess the improvement of symptoms of PTSD, anxiety and depression, and the improvement in the quality of life and Clinical Global Impression. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PROENCA, CECILIA R.; MARKOWITZ, JOHN C.; PRADO, EUTHYMIA A.; BRAGA, ROSALY; COIMBRA, BRUNO M.; MELLO, THAYS F.; MACIEL, MARIANA R.; PUPO, MARIANA; POVOA, JULIANA; MELLO, ANDREA F.; et al. Attrition in Interpersonal Psychotherapy Among Women With Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Following Sexual Assault. FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY, v. 10, SEP 13 2019. (14/12559-5, 16/22584-2)