efficacy of rational-emotive-behavioral versus relaxation group therapies in treatment of aggression of offspring of veterans with post traumatic stress disorder

ABSTRACT

Post traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] in war veterans has been linked with symptoms in their children, including symptoms resembling those of the traumatized parents, especially aggression. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy in reducing aggressive behaviors of male adolescents whose fathers have war related PTSD. 36 male children [aged 11 19 years] whose fathers had PTSD, were randomly assigned into three groups for Rational-Emotive- Behavioral Therapy [REBT], Relaxation Therapy, and Wait-List control group. Each method had a course of ten therapeutic group sessions of 60 minutes once a week. Rates of aggression were assessed by Aggression Questionnaire [AGQ] at baseline, end of intervention, and two months later. The difference between AGQ scores of three groups was statistically significant. The behaviors of the three groups were not homogenous across the time [group ' time interaction] and showed a statistically significant difference. This study revealed that the intervention groups were superior to control group in reduction of aggressive behaviors in male adolescents of war veterans with PTSD. Further studies with greater sample size, prolonged duration of follow up, and multiple assessment procedures may be needed for better conclusions: