Islamic Cognitive Restructuring for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

ABSTRACT

@#Introduction: Psychological consequences of traumatic events are often overlooked by both medical professionals and patients themselves. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most serious condition in the spectrum of trauma- and stressor-related disorders. Left untreated, it may result in physical and mental illnesses as well as social and occupational dysfunction. In the Malaysian Muslim population, stigma against mental illnesses frequently deter individuals suffering from psychological trauma from presenting to mental health services. These people prefer the use of spiritual and religious healing approaches to manage their post-traumatic stress symptoms. The objective of this study was to describe the Islamic cognitive restructuring techniques employed by motor vehicle accident victims for post-traumatic stress. Methods: An exploratory qualitative study involving 9 Muslim motor vehicle accidents victims was conducted from May to September 2015. Subjects were interviewed in-depth using semi-structured interview schedules. These interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed with the aid of Atlas.ti software. Results: Psychological intervention such as cognitive restructuring is an effective technique to overcome post-traumatic stress. In this study, our subjects employ cognitive restructuring techniques with predominantly Islamic content. Almost half of the subjects believe that God will not create hardship but some good will come out of it. Other subjects approach cognitive restructuring by being thankful for the small tests of hardships and compared their situation with others of worse fate. Conclusion: Islamic cognitive restructuring is a useful technique to manage posttraumatic stress symptoms. Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of this approach.