The Effectiveness of Meta-Emotional Therapy and Narrative Exposure Therapy on Autobiographical Memory and Somatization in Individuals with Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
| Author | Sahar Karimpour | en |
| Author | Sahar Safarzadeh | en |
| Author | Afsaneh Farashbandi | en |
| Author | Fariba Hafezi | en |
| Orcid | Sahar Karimpour [0000-0003-4585-0685] | en |
| Orcid | Sahar Safarzadeh [0000-0002-6571-1829] | en |
| Orcid | Afsaneh Farashbandi [0009-0003-6693-1481] | en |
| Orcid | Fariba Hafezi [0000-0002-8633-9632] | en |
| Issued Date | 2026-06-30 | en |
| Abstract | Background: Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) substantially disrupts emotion regulation, leading to difficulties in managing intense affect, negative self-concept, and interpersonal disturbances. It also impairs the integration of autobiographical memory, resulting in fragmented, overgeneralized, or poorly contextualized recollections of personal experiences, including both traumatic and nontraumatic events. Objectives: This study compared the efficacy of meta-emotional therapy (MET) and narrative exposure therapy (NET) in improving autobiographical memory specificity and reducing somatization among individuals with C-PTSD. Methods: A randomized pretest–posttest–follow-up study with a wait-list control group was conducted in Ahvaz, Iran, in 2025. Forty-five participants were recruited through convenience sampling in clinical settings and randomly assigned to three groups (n = 15 per group): MET, NET, and a wait-list control group. Both experimental groups received 14 sessions, each lasting 90 minutes. Data were collected using the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15). Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc tests. Results: Both interventions significantly improved clinical outcomes compared with those in the control group (P < 0.001). Specifically, NET demonstrated superior efficacy in enhancing autobiographical memory specificity, whereas MET was significantly more effective than NET in reducing somatization symptoms. Conclusions: Although both treatments were effective for C-PTSD, NET appeared more effective for cognitive-memory restructuring, whereas MET showed greater efficacy in alleviating somatization. These findings suggest a potential benefit of matching interventions to specific symptom profiles. | en |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.69107/jamm-170627 | en |
| URI | https://brieflands.com/journals/jamm/articles/170627 | en |
| Keyword | Post-traumatic Stress Disorders | en |
| Keyword | Narrative Therapy | en |
| Keyword | Metacognition | en |
| Keyword | Autobiographical Memory | en |
| Keyword | Somatization | en |
| Publisher | Brieflands | en |
| Title | The Effectiveness of Meta-Emotional Therapy and Narrative Exposure Therapy on Autobiographical Memory and Somatization in Individuals with Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder | en |
| Type | Research Article | en |
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