The Effectiveness of Compassion-focused Therapy on the Severity of Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms, Post-Traumatic Growth and Studying Changes in Hippocampal and Amygdala’s Volume in Improved Post-Covid Patients

Acute attacks of epidemics and the physical risk have severe adverse psychological side-effects on post covid patients. Most importantly, COVID-19 survivors who experienced fear for survival are vulnerable to post-traumatic stress symptoms. The present study aimed to determine effectiveness of online compassion-focused therapy in reducing the severity of post-traumatic stress symptoms, increasing post-traumatic growth and studying the changes in hippocampus and amygdala volume in recovered patients infected with the corona virus in Shiraz and in It was done in 1401.

The present study was conducted between May 2021 and July 2022 among patients with delta variant COVID-19 in Fars province, Iran. The study’s statistical population included 40 patients with hospitalized history on delta variant (Covid-19) diagnosed with post-traumatic stress symptoms, who were purposefully sampled in two experimental groups (40 people) and control groups (20 people). The control group received standard treatment during this period. Inclusion criteria were not having specific mental disorders, being literate in reading and writing, suffering from corona disease. Exclusion criteria were not fully attending Psychotherapy classes, having a mental disorder. The participants responded to the Tedeschi and Calhoun's post-traumatic growth and development questionnaire, PCL-5 post-traumatic stress disorder questionnaire. The researchers measured the volumes of hippocampus and corpus amygdaloideum (amygdaloid body), The 1.5 T MRI was taken at oblique coronal plane using a section thickness of 3 mm without any gap. The researchers correspondingly investigated right-left volume differences for hippocampus and corpus amygdaloideum. For data analysis, multivariate analysis of covariance, univariate analysis of covariance, mean and standard deviation were used.

it was indicated thatSelf-compassion psychotherapy had a significant effect on post traumatic growth (p<0.001, F=62.548) and reducing post-traumatic stress (F=103.335, p<0.001). Furthermore, the volume of the hippocampus and amygdala of the compassion therapy group increased in the post-test phase (F=21.995, p<0.001).

Psychosocial interventions that promote more informed and organized rumination about the pandemic and enhance posttraumatic growth in response to prior traumatic events can help facilitate positive psychological changes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in post-chronic patients. slow down and also planning psychotherapy strategies in crises through telemedicine and online services should be taken into consideration.