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. 2023 Oct 5;2023(10):CD013456. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013456.pub2

Echeburua 1996.

Study characteristics
Methods Study design: randomised controlled trial
Study grouping: parallel group
Duration of study: 5 years (recruitment April 1989 to March 1993)
Ethics approvals: not given
Location of study: San Sebastian, Bilbao and Vitoria, Spain
Randomisation method: assignment of participants to 1 of the 2 experimental conditions was carried out randomly in order of arrival at the Psychological Counselling Centers for Women
Participants Baseline characteristics
CBT (CR + coping skills)

  • Participants (at randomisation): 10

  • Gender: 100% female participants

  • Age, M: 24 years

  • Ethnicity: not given

  • Disability: not given

  • Time since trauma, M: 1 month

  • Income: not given

  • Education (% high school, college or apprentice, university or years of education): 30% high school, 20% college

  • Employment: not given

  • Sexual violence in adulthood: 100%

  • Comorbid conditions: not given

  • Baseline PTSD, M (SD): 36.7 (8.59)

  • Partnered: 20%

  • Randomised (N): 10

  • Completed post‐treatment assessment (N): 10

  • Dropped out or removed prior to analysis (N): 0

  • Numbers analysed at final applicable time point (N): 10

  • Number of sessions, M (SD): 5 (0)

  • Treatment completion, N (SD): 10 (100%)


Behavioural (progressive relaxation)

  • Participants (at randomisation): 10

  • Gender: 100% female participants

  • Age, M: 20 years

  • Ethnicity: not given

  • Disability: not given

  • Time since trauma, M: 1 month

  • Income: not given

  • Education (% high school, college or apprentice, university or years of education): 30% high school, 10% college

  • Employment: not given

  • Sexual violence in adulthood: 100%

  • Comorbid conditions: not given

  • Baseline PTSD, M (SD): 34.3 (7.54)

  • Partnered: 10%

  • Randomised (N): 10

  • Completed post‐treatment assessment (N): 10

  • Dropped out or removed prior to analysis (N): 0

  • Numbers analysed at final applicable time point (N): 10

  • Number of sessions, M (SD): 5 (0)

  • Treatment completion: 10 (100%)


Overall

  • Participants (at randomisation): 20

  • Gender: 100% female participants

  • Age, M (SD): 22 years (6.9 years)

  • Ethnicity: not given

  • Disability: not given

  • Time since trauma, M: 1 month

  • Income: not given

  • Education (% high school, college or apprentice, university or years of education): 30% high school, 15% college

  • Employment: not given

  • Sexual violence in adulthood: 100%

  • Comorbid conditions: not given

  • Baseline PTSD, M (SD): 35.5 (7.96)

  • Partnered: 15%

  • Approached: 31

  • Ineligible (N): 11

  • Declined (N): 0

  • Other (N): 0

  • Randomised (N): 20

  • Completed post‐treatment assessment (N): 20

  • Dropped out or removed prior to analysis (N): 0

  • Numbers analysed at final applicable time point (N): 20

  • Number of sessions: N/A

  • Treatment completion: 20 (100%)


Inclusion criteria

  • Experienced sexual aggression

  • Met DSM‐III‐R criteria for PTSD

  • Within 3 months of sexual aggression


Exclusion criteria: suffering severe physical or mental disorder
Pretreatment: none reported
Interventions Intervention characteristics
CBT (CR + coping skills)

  • Planned number of intervention sessions: 5 (× 1 h)

  • Mode of delivery (face‐to‐face, online, video, telephone, blend, with explanation): face‐to‐face

  • Format (group, individual, blend): individual

  • Therapist qualifications and training appropriate (yes, no, unclear, with explanation): yes, the assessment and therapy were tried with 5 people before the study. The intervention was delivered by a clinical psychologist with 5 years of experience in cognitive and behavioural treatment of victims of sexual violence.

  • Research allegiance or conflict of interest (yes, no, unclear, with explanation): no

  • Treatment fidelity (yes, no, unclear, with explanation): unclear, not given

  • Intervention aim and theoretical basis: first, explaining the normal reaction to sexual aggression and process of developing and maintaining fear; secondly, modifying negative thoughts with more adaptive ones. Traumatic event was resituated in its appropriate dimensions. Positive aspects of the new situation are pointed out. Coping skills training included progressive relaxation (Bernstein 1973), thought‐stopping, cognitive distractions and instruction in gradual exposure in order to resume habitual activities.

  • Duration of intervention: 5 weeks


Behavioural (progressive relaxation)

  • Planned number of intervention sessions: 5 (× 1 h)

  • Mode of delivery (face‐to‐face, online, video, telephone, blend, with explanation): face‐to‐face

  • Format (group, individual, blend): individual

  • Therapist qualifications and training appropriate (yes, no, unclear, with explanation): as previous

  • Research allegiance or conflict of interest (yes, no, unclear, with explanation): no

  • Treatment fidelity (yes, no, unclear, with explanation): unclear, not given

  • Intervention aim and theoretical basis: first, general instruction about the psychological impact of sexual aggression; second, training in progressive muscular relaxation (Bernstein 1973)

  • Duration of intervention: 5 weeks
Outcomes Depression

  • Outcome type: continuous outcome

  • Scale used: BDI

  • Direction: lower is better

  • Score range: 0 to 63

  • Data value: endpoint, 6 months and 12 months


Treatment dropout

  • Outcome type: dichotomous outcome


PTSD

  • Outcome type: continuous outcome

  • Scale used: Scale of Severity of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms

  • Direction: lower is better

  • Score range: 0 to 51

  • Data value: endpoint, 6 months and 12 months


Anxiety

  • Outcome type: continuous outcome

  • Scale used: STAI

  • Direction: lower is better

  • Score range: 20 to 80

  • Data value: endpoint, 6 months and 12 months


PTSD

  • Outcome type: continuous outcome

  • Scale used: SSS Reexperience

  • Direction: lower is better

  • Score range: 0 to 5

  • Data value: endpoint, 6 months and 12 months


PTSD

  • Outcome type: continuous outcome

  • Scale used: SSS Avoidance

  • Direction: lower is better

  • Score range: 0 to 2

  • Data value: endpoint, 6 months and 12 months


PTSD

  • Outcome type: continuous outcome

  • Scale used: SSS Arousal

  • Direction: lower is better

  • Score range: 0 to 3

  • Data value: endpoint, 6 months and 12 months


Trauma‐related beliefs

  • Outcome type: continuous outcome

  • Scale used: Mental Fatigue Scale‐III

  • Direction: lower is better

  • Score range: 120 to 600 (rape section: 42 to 210)

  • Data value: endpoint, 6 months and 12 months
Identification Sponsorship source: University of the Basque Country UPV 006.230‐0106/88
Country: Spain
Setting: women seeking support following sexual victimisation at community counselling centres for women
Authors name: Enrique Echeburúa
Institution: Universidad del País Vasco
Year: 1996
Notes Not included in meta‐analysis