Introduction
It is estimated that 19–45% of hospitalized burns patients exhibit symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTS) during hospitalization, and inpatient distress is linked with poorer functional, psychosocial, and medical prognosis. Despite this, research on psychological intervention for PTS during inpatient treatment for burns remains nascent. The current study developed and pilot-tested a six-session cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for adult inpatients with acute burns.
Methods
After IRB approval, patients were enrolled in a single verified ABA burn center. Interventions consisted of 6, 50-minute CBT sessions over two weeks. Therapeutic techniques included mindfulness-focused relaxation training, titrated exposure, psychoeducation, and cognitive restructuring. Depression (Beck Depression Inventory II; [BDI]), anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory [BAI]), and PTS (Detailed Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress- PTS-T subscale) were assessed at baseline, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks post-intervention. All data were analyzed in SPSS using Student’s univariate t-tests and Last Observation Carried Forward analysis for missing data at T1. No missing data were imputed for T2 given the high drop-out rate.
Results
Seventeen adult participants were enrolled (13 female; Mage = 31.7 years, SD = 8.7, range 21–53 years; 35% Hispanic/Latinx; MTBSA = 21.6%, SD = 20.2). Analyses indicated no relation between demographic or study variables and drop-out. Average number of sessions was 4.8 (SD = 1.4). At baseline, participants reported moderate anxiety (M = 23, SD = 12.32), mild depression (M = 14.18, SD = 8.46), and clinically significant posttraumatic stress (M = 72.18, T score = 75, 99th percentile).
Comparing baseline to post-intervention, BAI scores decreased, t(16) = 3.76, p = .002, Cohen’s d = .61, whereas BDI scores, t(16) = 1.06, ns, Cohen’s d = .19, and PTS scores, t(16) = 1.03, ns, Cohen’s d = .12, did not change. There were no changes from post-intervention to follow-up in BAI, t(5) = 1.48, ns, Cohen’s d = .43, BDI, t(5) = 1.06, ns, Cohen’s d = .54, or PTS scores (t(5) = .55, ns, Cohen’s d = .12) for the six participants who completed follow-up assessment. TBSA burn was not associated with anxiety, depression, or PTS symptoms at any timepoint.
Conclusions
Participants reported significant reductions in anxiety, but not PTS or depression symptoms, following a CBT distress-reduction intervention. More generally, the findings of this study point to the potential utility of implementing an early intervention of empirically-based treatment components to help burn survivors manage emotional symptoms following trauma.
Applicability of Research to Practice
Patients experiencing anxiety may benefit from short-term mindfulness or exposure interventions and more research is needed to understand the trajectory and heterogeneity of PTS symptom relief following acute burns.
