Psycho-education Program BLAME-LESS and It's Effect on Traumarelated Shame and Guilt

Launched by KARAKTER KINDER- EN JEUGDPSYCHIATRIE · Aug 4, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This study is testing BLAME-LESS, a short online program designed to help adolescents who have experienced sexual or physical abuse reduce trauma-related feelings of shame and guilt. In a two-arm randomized trial, teens aged 12–18 are assigned to either the BLAME-LESS program or a waiting-list control group. If assigned to the program, they get online access for about two weeks. If in the waiting list, they wait two weeks and then receive access. Researchers will measure changes in shame and guilt using the SGATS questionnaire before treatment, after treatment, and (for the waiting-list group) again a few weeks later.

Eligible participants include all genders, ages 12–18, who have had at least one traumatic event (including sexual violence), and who report guilt or shame about their responses to trauma. They must speak Dutch and be able to commit to seven weeks of participation and assessments. Exclusions include active suicidal risk, having recently read the program’s book or had extensive trauma-focused counseling, IQ below 70, having a sibling in the study, or already receiving trauma-focused treatment. In addition to the primary outcome (shame and guilt), the study looks at PTSD symptoms, anxiety and depression, trauma-related thoughts, and motivation to engage in treatment or disclose memories. The trial is run in the Netherlands at Karakter Kinder- en Jeugdpsychiatrie and aims to enroll about 34 participants.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • the participant experienced one or more traumatic life events, including (sexual) violence as indicated by the CTSQ;
• • the participant reported one or more feelings of guilt and/or shame on the CERQ (items 1 and/or 10 and/or 19 and/or 28)
• • the participant being fluent in written and spoken Dutch;
• • the participant is motivated and available for a period of seven weeks to engage in the study, including the psychoeducation program BLAME-LESS, and commit to the assessments.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • acute suicidal behavior or suicidal ideations requiring immediate hospitalization;
• • the participant has already read the book that this program is based upon: "Paralyzed with Fear" (In Dutch: Verlamd van Angst, van Minnen 2017), or has been intensively informed otherwise in the past 12 months by a psychologist about common defense responses during and after trauma;
• • Cognitive Impairments (IQ \< 70);
• • the participant has a brother or sister in the present study;
• • the participant is already involved in trauma-focused treatment.