ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Original Research

Authors

Alsafi   T. (*)
Nejati   V. (1)
Sarhan   N.A. (2 )
Maghsudloo   M. (3 )






(*) Psychology Department, Education and Psychology Faculty , Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
(1) Psychology Department, Education and Psychology Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
(2 ) Psychiatry Department, Medicine Faculty, Baqdad University, Baqdad, Iraq
(3 ) Psychology Department, Education and Psychology Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

Correspondence

Article History

Received:  December  31, 2013
Accepted:  March 12, 2014
ePublished:  April 2, 2014

BRIEF TEXT


Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the anxiolytic disorders, in response to an overall panic which threaten the life of a person [1]. Symptoms s includes avoidance of traumatic memory recall, sleep disorder, intensified panic, and emotional numbness [2]. … [3-14]. In various theoretical models, it is assumed that anxious persons are alert towards the threat [15, 16]. There are some orientations including orientation towards the threat, the threat avoidance orientation, and orientation towards happy faces [9, 17, 18].

… [19-23]. A study by Koso and Hansen reveals that people with PTSD get the less score in all experiments and they also have problem in sustained attention, attention transferring, inhibition and memory functions [24]. In addition, another study by Kanagaratnam and Asbjørnsen concerns retardation error among such persons [25]. Mirdoraghi et al. onhave introduced cognitive and behavioral inhibitions among persons with PTSD [26]. Cognitive rehabilitation is one of the most effective ways to decrease cognitive disorders. Cognitive rehabilitation is a treatment method, aimed to improve patient’s cognitive performance. According to various studies, frequent activation and attention system stimulation lead to increase the cognitive capacity [27].

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cognitive rehabilitation on attention orientation towards fearful stimuli among persons with symptoms of PTSD.

This is a Quasi-experimental study.

In this study, 15-19 years old Iraqi teenagers of Baghdad schools were studied during 2013.

15 persons were selected, using available sampling method.

At first, to select the samples, screening questionnaire for post-traumatic stress disorder (CRIES-8) was used, in order to diagnose peoples with PTSD. Persons with scores more than 17 were entered into the next stage, and those with scores less than 17 were eliminated. At the next stage, to determine maximum signs of PTSD symptoms according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, diagnostic interviews were performed. For final assessment, persons with maximum symptoms were entered into the third stage. At the final stage, to confirm the maximum PTSD symptoms a psychiatrist was employed. 15 persons with PTSD symptoms were received rehabilitation interventions as the sample group. The sample group was received cognitive rehabilitation program during 12 sessions, two times a week hour for each session. Cognitive rehabilitation of attention orientation was performed using a neuropsychological and cognitive intervention program in which each person was sitting on a chair in a room, responding to each computer assignment. Facial Dot-probe test (neutral and fear) was used to assess attention orientation. Dependent-T test was used to assess the effect of cognitive rehabilitation intervening program on attention orientation towards the excitement faces (reaction time and number of true responses to the excitement faces).

10 persons were female, and 5 persons were male. There was a significant difference between the average reaction time to relevant and irrelevant stimuli before and after performance of intervention program. However, there was no significant difference between the average number of relevant and irrelevant responses before and after intervention.

… [28-32] Results of some studies concerning the use of cognitive rehabilitation and treatment to promote selective attention and to promote attention and working memory functions [33, 34] … [35-36] confirm the results of the present study. In addition, concerning the lack of correlation between excitement stimuli and persons with PTSD, results of some other studies [37, 38] are consistent with the results of the present study. ... [39].

It is suggested that other cognitive processes in persons with PTSD due to the war to be assessed and to be compared with other disasters causing such disorders in the future researches.

Impossibility of providing control group was one of the limitations of the present study. In addition, controlling the environmental variables which could affect performance of the persons with PTSD faced us with problem.

Cognitive rehabilitation method is effective in reduction of attention orientation towards fearful stimuli, among persons with PTSD symptoms.

The researchers feel grateful to the personnel of Department of Education in Baghdad, and all the students who participated in this study.

Non-declared

Non-declared

Non-declared

TABLES and CHARTS

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CITIATION LINKS

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