Schema Therapy for Depression in Disaster Relief Workers
Author Information
Author(s): Hori Arinobu, Murakami Michio, Oshima Fumiyo, van der Wijngaart Remco
Primary Institution: Hori Mental Clinic
Hypothesis
Can schema therapy effectively address recurrent depression in disaster relief workers with a history of PTSD treatment?
Conclusion
Schema therapy, combined with medication, led to sustained improvement in a disaster relief worker experiencing recurrent depression.
Supporting Evidence
- Schema therapy was introduced after the patient experienced a relapse of depression following his father's death.
- The therapy consisted of approximately 60 sessions over 16 months.
- Initial trauma-focused treatments were not sufficient to maintain symptom relief.
Takeaway
This study shows that schema therapy can help people who have depression after experiencing trauma, especially when their symptoms come back after a tough life event.
Methodology
The study followed a disaster relief worker over 13 years, documenting treatment phases and responses to schema therapy and prolonged exposure therapy.
Potential Biases
The reliance on self-reports and family observations may introduce bias in assessing treatment effectiveness.
Limitations
The findings are based on a single case study, limiting generalizability, and lacked systematic psychometric assessments.
Participant Demographics
The patient was a municipal employee in his 40s who experienced PTSD and depression after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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