Brief systemic therapy in people exposed to a recent highly stressful event: A randomised controlled trial

Background: Highly stressful events can have harmful effects on people's well-being and mental health. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a preventive intervention protocol based on Brief Systemic Therapy oriented to people who recently experienced a highly stressful event. Method: Seventy-five people participated, 39 were in the experimental group and 36 in the control group. A quantitative design with two groups (experimental and control) and two time points (pre-and post-intervention) was used for data analysis. A six-month follow-up was added to the experimental group. The protocol was structured in four sessions and aimed to impact on posttraumatic symptoms, posttraumatic growth, ruminative response and coping strategies. Results: An increase in posttraumatic growth, deliberate rumination, problem-focused coping, and positive reinterpretation was observed in the experimental group. In contrast, there was only a nonsignificant trend in reduced posttraumatic symptomatology and in seeking social support. Conclusions: These results contribute to the development of Brief Systemic Therapy and support its usefulness in preventive intervention with people exposed to a highly stressful event. © 2022 Terapia Psicológica.