TY - JOUR
T1 - The effectiveness of two novel approaches to prevent intrusions
T2 - A pilot study comparing Tetris_dualtask and imagery rescripting to control
AU - Asselbergs, Joost
AU - Riper, Heleen
AU - Engelhard, Iris M.
AU - Mannes, Fancy
AU - Sijbrandij, Marit
N1 - Funding Information: Iris Engelhard is supported with a VICI grant (grant number: 453-15-005 ) by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) . This research was not financed with any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors
PY - 2024/3/1
Y1 - 2024/3/1
N2 - Background and objectives: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a global health problem. Although effective treatments for it exist, early interventions that prevent PTSD from developing are lacking. The aim of this pilot analogue trauma study was to compare the effects of two potential early intervention strategies, namely Tetris_dualtask and imagery rescripting (IR) to a no-intervention control group on intrusion frequency and the vividness and emotionality of aversive film memory. Methods: Sixty healthy students were subjected to the trauma film paradigm and randomly allocated to either: Tetris_dualtask, IR or no-intervention. Main outcomes were the number of film-related intrusions at one week and vividness and emotionality ratings of the most aversive film memory. Secondary outcomes were PTSD-like symptoms, intrusion intensity, and explicit film memory. Results: The Tetris_dualtask group reported significant fewer intrusions compared to the no-intervention group; whereas the IR group did not. No effect was found on vividness and emotionality ratings, PTSD-like symptoms, intrusion intensity, and explicit memory. Limitations: The sample size was small, and analogue trauma in healthy individuals was examined, thus generalizability may be limited. Also, to increase comparability between interventions, the duration of Tetris_dualtask and IR was standardized. As a result, the IR intervention was shorter compared to other studies, which might have decreased its efficacy. Conclusions: The results of this pilot study suggest that playing Tetris during retrieval of traumatic images, might hold potential as an early intervention strategy to reduce intrusions in the early aftermath of trauma and adversity. However, future large-scale replication research is needed.
AB - Background and objectives: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a global health problem. Although effective treatments for it exist, early interventions that prevent PTSD from developing are lacking. The aim of this pilot analogue trauma study was to compare the effects of two potential early intervention strategies, namely Tetris_dualtask and imagery rescripting (IR) to a no-intervention control group on intrusion frequency and the vividness and emotionality of aversive film memory. Methods: Sixty healthy students were subjected to the trauma film paradigm and randomly allocated to either: Tetris_dualtask, IR or no-intervention. Main outcomes were the number of film-related intrusions at one week and vividness and emotionality ratings of the most aversive film memory. Secondary outcomes were PTSD-like symptoms, intrusion intensity, and explicit film memory. Results: The Tetris_dualtask group reported significant fewer intrusions compared to the no-intervention group; whereas the IR group did not. No effect was found on vividness and emotionality ratings, PTSD-like symptoms, intrusion intensity, and explicit memory. Limitations: The sample size was small, and analogue trauma in healthy individuals was examined, thus generalizability may be limited. Also, to increase comparability between interventions, the duration of Tetris_dualtask and IR was standardized. As a result, the IR intervention was shorter compared to other studies, which might have decreased its efficacy. Conclusions: The results of this pilot study suggest that playing Tetris during retrieval of traumatic images, might hold potential as an early intervention strategy to reduce intrusions in the early aftermath of trauma and adversity. However, future large-scale replication research is needed.
KW - Early intervention
KW - Imagery rescripting
KW - Intrusions
KW - Posttraumatic stress disorder
KW - Prevention
KW - Tetris
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85177197008&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2023.101920
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2023.101920
M3 - Article
C2 - 37988886
SN - 0005-7916
VL - 82
JO - Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry
JF - Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry
M1 - 101920
ER -