The Effectivness of Coping Skills Instruction based on cognitive-behavior method on War Related Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression in Veterans

Post-traumaticStress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder which can develop after exposure to any event which results psychological trauma. Depression is one of the most common co-morbid conditions associated with PTSD. Training the patients in the use of effective coping skills is part of treatment for PTSD. The aim of the present research was to study the effectiveness of coping skills based on cognitive – behavioral method on PTSD and depression of the veterans in Hamadan، Iran. This study was a quasi- experimental design with pre-test، post-test and follow up type. 24 veterans suffering from PTSD were divided randomly into experimental (coping skills) and control groups. The experimental group were administered 10 sessions of coping skills training 2 hours weekly. PTSD checklist- military version (PCL-M) and Beck Depression inventory (BDI) were used to collect data، which were analyzed using repeated measure، independent t- test and MANOVA. There was a significant difference between experimental and control groups in PTSD، C and D cluster of PTSD and depression after the final session of intervention. But، there was no significant difference between experimental and control groups in B cluster of PTSD. Coping skills training significantly decreased the severity of PTSD and C & D cluster، the rate of depression in the experimental group. The changes were persistent in 2 months of follow-up. coping skills training is effective on reduction of symptoms in PTSD and co-morbid depression،