Effectiveness of Metacognitive Therapy in Patients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Three Case Studies

The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of a metacognitive based therapy on reducing anxiety and depression symptoms in patients with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder، by using a single case design. Three consecutive chronic outpatients fulfilling DSM-IV and criteria for PTSD were treated according to Core treatment manual of PTSD. Patients were assessed with a battery of measures، including the Impact Event Scale-Revised (IES-R)، Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)، Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)، and Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDs). The treatment was associated with large reductions in the specific measures of PTSD (IES-R total score)، reductions in general measures of anxiety (BAI)، depression (BDI-II)، distress (SUDs). The results of these case studies provide further support for the clinical efficacy of metacognitive therapy، and in a different culture than the treatment was originally developed. Although this study is limited by the absence of a control group، these results clearly imply strong and generalized results for metacognitive therapy. The treatment appears therefore promising، although a controlled evaluation of its effectiveness is necessary to draw a definitive conclusion.