Psycho-educational intervention with students suffering from post-traumatic stress

Abstract

Violent crime and trauma are very common within the society and students at the technikon are as exposed to these traumatic situations that characterize the broader national context as anybody.

The purpose of this study was to explore therapeutic intervention techniques that can be used by the educational psychologist in assisting students suffering from post-traumatic stress.

The phenomena of post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic stress disorder were studied with reference to the DSM IV classification and description. Traumatic events and stressors among students were outlined. A case study was conducted with a subject selected at the technikon who was suffering from post-traumatic stress due to earlier physical abuse and violence she experienced at home.

The Trauma-100-Questionnaire was used to investigate the extent of the trauma and the results showed that the subject was involved with negative self-talk and employed ego defence mechanisms.

An analysis of the subject's problem was done through the relations theory and various techniques from the literature study were implemented in therapy with the subject.