The Effectiveness of a Group Therapeutic Program Based on Prolonged Exposure Therapy in Reducing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Among a Sample of Palestinian Traumatized Adolescents

For adolescents living in political conflict zones, such as Palestine, the mental health-related issues are complex. Adolescents residing in Palestine, as in other highly militarized zones, are at risk of developing mental health problems such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of the current study was to examine the effectiveness of a group therapeutic program based on prolonged exposure therapy in reducing PTSD symptoms among a sample of traumatized adolescents in Palestine. The sample consisted of 17 adolescents who live in Dar Al-Yateem Al-Arabi society in the city of Tulkarm, aging from 11 to 14 years. A one group quasi experimental design was used, in which the experimental group received a group therapeutic program based on prolonged exposure techniques that lasted for 7 weeks, with 2 sessions per week. The performance of the experimental group was tested before and after the intervention. Findings demonstrated that the group therapeutic program was effective in reducing PTSD symptoms among participants. These findings support the implementation of a group therapeutic program based on prolonged exposure techniques with adolescents who have PTSD and other related disorders.