The use of the "group traumatic episode protocol (G-TEP) " in an outpatient randomized and hospital setting: Implementation and effects in heterogeneous patient samples

The resource-based eye movement desensitization and reprocessing group intervention group traumatic episode protocol G-TEP showed promising results in reducing posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. Using a high structured G-TEP worksheet, the patients conduct self-bilateral stimulation while (re)processing their targets. We examined the effectiveness on multiple symptoms and practicability of G-TEP in an outpatient setting and its feasibility in hospital treatment. Study A: Forty-four patients suffering from different symptoms and diagnoses received four ambulatory G-TEP sessions within three eye movement desensitization and reprocessing-G-TEP sessions in a randomized delayed waitlist control group design. We investigate the improvements in symptoms and advantages of G-TEP as an upstream treatment. Study B: The targeted changes in symptom burden in 23 patients and the implementation process of G-TEP as an additional treatment option in a psychiatric hospital were examined. The measures used were Impact of Event Scale-Revised, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Brief Symptom Check List, and the Questionnaire on Dissociative Symptoms at pre- and posttreatment and follow-up. Both studies showed significant and long-lasting reductions in subjective distress and concomitant impairments. The distressing experiences became more "ego-syntonic," levels of avoidance decreased, abilities to manage negative emotions got strengthened, and they gained hope. All effects had a positive impact on subsequent treatment processes; some patients already went free of symptoms only with this short G-TEP treatment. G-TEP effectively alleviates symptoms caused by stressful experiences. G-TEP can be used as a stand-alone intervention in outpatients and can easily be integrated into the offer of multimodal therapy in a psychiatric ward. It can prevent the exacerbation of symptoms and chronification of disease and should be implemented into the (German) health system. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).