Acute Stabilization and Three-Month Follow-Up in a Trauma Program

ABSTRACT

Forty-six psychiatric patients in a hospital-based Trauma Program were given a set of self-report measures at admission, at discharge, and at three-month follow-up. Average length of stay in the Program was 18.2 days. During treatment in the Trauma Program, there were significant reductions in scores on the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, the Dissociative Experiences Scale and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). These symptom reductions were sustained at three-month follow-up. More rigorous studies with randomization of subjects and a comparison group should be undertaken in the future. The presently available, replicated, but uncontrolled evidence indicates that the Trauma Program is effective in meeting its goals.

KEYWORDS:

• Treatment outcome
• acute stabilization
• inpatient treatment