The SOLAR group program to promote recovery after disaster and trauma—A randomized controlled feasibility trial among German trauma survivors.

Abstract

Introduction: Many disaster and trauma survivors experience persistent subclinical distress that places them at risk of developing a mental health disorder. This study describes the first European feasibility study of a brief and scalable skills-based intervention targeting persistent subclinical distress following disasters and trauma. Method: Randomized controlled feasibility study of the Skills fOr Life Adjustment and Resilience (SOLAR) group program. German trauma survivors (N = 30) with subclinical symptoms of depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder or functional impairment, but no current mental disorder other than adjustment disorder, were randomized to the SOLAR group program (n = 15) or to a wait-list control group (n = 15). The primary outcome was feasibility, operationalized through eligibility rate, recruitment speed, treatment adherence, dropout rate, and participant satisfaction with the program. Secondary outcomes were psychological distress, symptoms of insomnia, posttraumatic stress disorder, patient-centered outcomes, quality of life, and perceived social support. Results: Eligibility rate was 33.6%; recruitment speed was two days per participant; 92.9% completed at least four of five sessions; dropout rate was 10.0%; 92.3% were "very satisfied" with the program. Between-group change scores showed a large effect size for patient-centered outcomes. Medium effect sizes were found for symptoms of insomnia, perceived social support, and quality of life. Small effects were identified for reductions in distress and functional impairment. Discussion: The application of the SOLAR group program within a randomized controlled trial was feasible. Its efficacy should be further tested in a larger trial.

Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Mental Health Interventions Delivered by Frontline Health Care Workers in Emergency Health Services: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Regarding intervention type, six were psychotherapies, including three using narrative exposure therapy (NET) and one each using eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), cognitive behavioral technique (CBT), and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT). The duration of psychological intervention for affected people varied from 1 h behavior treatment [ 14 ] to two to three-hour psychotherapy [ 37 ] to five weekly sessions of psychosocial intervention [ 44 , 55 ] and 12 h psychotherapy [ 36 ]. The length of mental health training intervention for providers (practitioners) ranged from one day [ 34 , 53 ] to 6 h training [ 51 ] to one or two weeks [ 38 , 44 ] to a maximum period of 40 h, as, for example, in Problem Management Plus (PM+) [ 54 ].…”

“…We found two studies investigating psychosocial support. One found that it was ineffective in reducing PTSD symptoms, depression symptoms, or improving hope among adolescents delivered by trained school instructors [ 49 ], while another study found that the control group was more effective in reducing PTSD symptoms compared with the intervention group which provided support by community non-mental health professionals [ 55 ].…”

“… 21. (Lotzin et al, 2021) [ 55 ] Germany Traumatic event: life threatening illness or injury, etc. Study design: Randomised control trial.…”

Risk and protective factors for posttraumatic stress disorder in trauma-exposed individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic – findings from a pan-European study

“…To prevent long-term consequences, targeted measures for vulnerable individuals are needed. Brief psychosocial programmes for individuals who show subclinical PTSD symptoms may help to promote recovery and prevent the development of PTSD (Lotzin, Hinrichsen, et al, 2021 ). Individuals who fulfil the diagnostic criteria for PTSD should receive guideline-compliant trauma-focused psychotherapeutic support.…”

Revisiting the factor structure of the insomnia severity index among survivors of the 2013 Super Typhoon Haiyan.

“…The original ISI in English has been translated to dozens of language versions, such as Chinese (Yu, 2010), French (Savard et al, 2005), German (Dieck et al, 2018), Italian (Castronovo et al, 2016), Korean (Cho et al, 2014), and Spanish (Fernandez-Mendoza et al, 2012). As a screening tool, the usual usage of the ISI in both clinical practice and research is to calculate a composite score (e.g., Fu et al, 2017; Lotzin et al, 2022) or further draw diagnostic conclusions based on the suggested cutoff criteria (e.g., Kokou-Kpolou et al, 2020; Rossi et al, 2020).…”