Neurocognitive functioning over the course of STAIR Narrative Therapy for ICD-11 complex PTSD
Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with impairments in neurocognitive functions, particularly in memory, attention, and executive function. These problems can interfere with the individual’s daily functioning and recovery. Given the different symptom features and po...
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| Format: | Article |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2025.2523079 |
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| author | Madoka Niwa Tomoko Kato Yosuke Suga Rieko Otomo Mayumi Sugawara Mie Matsui Toshiko Kamo Hiroaki Hori Yoshiharu Kim |
| author_facet | Madoka Niwa Tomoko Kato Yosuke Suga Rieko Otomo Mayumi Sugawara Mie Matsui Toshiko Kamo Hiroaki Hori Yoshiharu Kim |
| author_sort | Madoka Niwa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with impairments in neurocognitive functions, particularly in memory, attention, and executive function. These problems can interfere with the individual’s daily functioning and recovery. Given the different symptom features and potentially different neural profiles between ICD-11 complex PTSD (CPTSD) and PTSD, neurocognitive dysfunction is considered an even more serious problem in CPTSD. Still, no studies have directly examined whether neurocognitive deficits in CPTSD can improve over the course of treatment.Objective: This study examined whether neurocognitive functioning changes over the course of Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR) Narrative Therapy (SNT) by analyzing data from a pilot study of women with CPTSD related to childhood abuse.Methods: Thirteen women aged 21–46 years (M = 29.6 years) with childhood-abuse-related ICD-11 CPTSD were enrolled in this study. The International Trauma Interview was administered to diagnose CPTSD and assess its severity. Neurocognitive functions were evaluated using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) pretreatment, immediately posttreatment, and three months after treatment.Results: Among the RBANS scores, immediate memory and global cognitive scores significantly improved three months after treatment compared to pretreatment. No significant improvements over time were observed in scores for other cognitive domains, including visuospatial construction, attention, language, and delayed memory.Conclusions: These preliminary results suggest that SNT can improve immediate memory and global cognitive functioning as well as CPTSD symptoms. Further research is needed to verify these findings and understand neurobiological mechanisms underlying the effect of SNT on neurocognitive functioning.Trial registration number: UMIN000030889. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c80c7daac4e64c6aab19b0eaba8de38a |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj-art-c80c7daac4e64c6aab19b0eaba8de38a2025-07-14T09:43:23ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662025-12-0116110.1080/20008066.2025.2523079Neurocognitive functioning over the course of STAIR Narrative Therapy for ICD-11 complex PTSDMadoka Niwa0Tomoko Kato1Yosuke Suga2Rieko Otomo3Mayumi Sugawara4Mie Matsui5Toshiko Kamo6Hiroaki Hori7Yoshiharu Kim8Department of Behavioral Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, JapanKato Mental Clinic, Hokkaido, JapanHyogo Institute for Traumatic Stress, Hyogo, JapanKurosaki Central Clinic, Fukuoka, JapanDepartment of Behavioral Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Liberal Arts and Science, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa, JapanWakamatsu-cho Mental and Skin Clinic, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Behavioral Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Behavioral Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, JapanBackground: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with impairments in neurocognitive functions, particularly in memory, attention, and executive function. These problems can interfere with the individual’s daily functioning and recovery. Given the different symptom features and potentially different neural profiles between ICD-11 complex PTSD (CPTSD) and PTSD, neurocognitive dysfunction is considered an even more serious problem in CPTSD. Still, no studies have directly examined whether neurocognitive deficits in CPTSD can improve over the course of treatment.Objective: This study examined whether neurocognitive functioning changes over the course of Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR) Narrative Therapy (SNT) by analyzing data from a pilot study of women with CPTSD related to childhood abuse.Methods: Thirteen women aged 21–46 years (M = 29.6 years) with childhood-abuse-related ICD-11 CPTSD were enrolled in this study. The International Trauma Interview was administered to diagnose CPTSD and assess its severity. Neurocognitive functions were evaluated using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) pretreatment, immediately posttreatment, and three months after treatment.Results: Among the RBANS scores, immediate memory and global cognitive scores significantly improved three months after treatment compared to pretreatment. No significant improvements over time were observed in scores for other cognitive domains, including visuospatial construction, attention, language, and delayed memory.Conclusions: These preliminary results suggest that SNT can improve immediate memory and global cognitive functioning as well as CPTSD symptoms. Further research is needed to verify these findings and understand neurobiological mechanisms underlying the effect of SNT on neurocognitive functioning.Trial registration number: UMIN000030889.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2025.2523079Posttraumatic stress disordercomplex PTSDSTAIR Narrative Therapychildhood abuseneurocognitive functioningimmediate memory |
| spellingShingle | Madoka Niwa Tomoko Kato Yosuke Suga Rieko Otomo Mayumi Sugawara Mie Matsui Toshiko Kamo Hiroaki Hori Yoshiharu Kim Neurocognitive functioning over the course of STAIR Narrative Therapy for ICD-11 complex PTSD European Journal of Psychotraumatology Posttraumatic stress disorder complex PTSD STAIR Narrative Therapy childhood abuse neurocognitive functioning immediate memory |
| title | Neurocognitive functioning over the course of STAIR Narrative Therapy for ICD-11 complex PTSD |
| title_full | Neurocognitive functioning over the course of STAIR Narrative Therapy for ICD-11 complex PTSD |
| title_fullStr | Neurocognitive functioning over the course of STAIR Narrative Therapy for ICD-11 complex PTSD |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neurocognitive functioning over the course of STAIR Narrative Therapy for ICD-11 complex PTSD |
| title_short | Neurocognitive functioning over the course of STAIR Narrative Therapy for ICD-11 complex PTSD |
| title_sort | neurocognitive functioning over the course of stair narrative therapy for icd 11 complex ptsd |
| topic | Posttraumatic stress disorder complex PTSD STAIR Narrative Therapy childhood abuse neurocognitive functioning immediate memory |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2025.2523079 |
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