Working mechanisms of imagery rescripting (ImRs) in adult patients with childhood-related PTSD: a pilot study.

Background: Imagery rescripting (ImRs) has shown to be an effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD) resulting from childhood-related trauma. The current theory is that the change of meaning of the trauma memory is central to the treatment. Several authors have suggested that the expression of needs, feelings and actions may act as potential healing factors, but little specific research aimed at (in)validating this hypothesis has been done so far.Objective: In this study we investigated to what extent the expression of inhibited action tendencies and the fulfilling of needs lead to the reduction of PTSD symptoms in clients with early childhood trauma.Method: Recordings of 249 therapy sessions of 24 ImRs treatments were rated with an observation instrument developed for this purpose, after which the scores were related to pre and posttreatment symptoms, assessed with the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R).Results: Scores on the IES-R decreased from pretreatment to posttreatment. The two subscales of the NATS (At-scale and N-scale)significantly predicted the posttreatment scores on the IES-R after controlling for the influence of pretreatment IES-R scores: the better the expression of inhibited action tendencies and the better the fulfilling of needs, the lower the symptoms after treatment.Conclusions: This pilot study on the underlying mechanisms of ImRs in PTSD treatment has shown that the expression of action tendencies and fulfilling basic needs during ImRs are associated with a decrease in PTSD symptoms after treatment, and that actions and basic needs cannot be viewed separately. Follow-up research could focus on which of the six domains of the Needs and Action tendencies Scale (NATS) has the greatest effect on the reduction of PTSD symptoms. With this information we can further improve the ImRs protocol.

The pilot study of working mechanisms of imaginary rescripting shows that the NATS is a reliable research tool for observing expressed action tendencies and fulfilled needs.The better the action tendencies are expressed during treatment and the better the needs are fulfilled, the lower posttreatment symptoms.It seems useful if practitioners are specifically trained during the ImRs training in performing actions that lead to the fulfilment of basic needs.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of whole body cryotherapy on mental health problems.

OBJECTIVE: To give an overview of the nature and methodological quality of studies on whole body cryotherapy (WBC) as add-on intervention for mental health problems. METHODS: A meta-analysis according to PRISMA guidelines was conducted (Prospero registration: CRD42020167443). Databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library were searched. Risk of bias was scored according to the Cochrane ROBINS-I-tool to which an extra bias-dimension of allegiance bias was added. Within and between Hedges' g pooled effect sizes were calculated for the main aspect of mental health measured. Treatment efficacy was examined using a random effects model. Heterogeneity was examined through identification of visual outliers and by I2 statistics. RESULTS: Out of 196 articles coming up from the search, ten studies met all inclusion criteria, six of which were (randomized) controlled trials. Together these studies report on a total of 294 participants receiving WBC. The within-group pooled effect size for mental health problems is large (Hedges' g = 1.63, CI: 1.05-2.21), with high heterogeneity (I2 = 93%). Subgroup analyses on depressive symptoms and quality of life (QOL) showed a diminution of heterogeneity to moderate. Effect sizes for depressive symptoms are very large (Hedges' g = 2.95, CI: 2.44-3.45) and for QOL medium (Hedges' g = 0.70, CI: 0.15-1.24). The between-group pooled effect size is medium (Hedges' g = 0.76, CI: 0.17-1.36). CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate preliminary evidence for WBC as efficacious add-on intervention for mental health problems, especially depressive symptoms. Further research in the form of RCTs with larger numbers of participants is needed.