Cognitive restructuring and imagery modification: Treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder after experiencing sexual violence in childhood [„Cognitive restructuring and imagery modification“: Behandlung der posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung nach sexueller Gewalterfahrung in der Kindheit]

Background: Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of sexual abuse in childhood and adolescence often also suffer later from the feeling of being contaminated. This is accompanied by massive consequences and severe restraints in everyday life, interpersonal problems and unfavorable coping behavior. Aim: This article presents the method of cognitive restructuring and imagery modification (CRIM), which is the first method that directly focuses on the feeling of being contaminated. Material and methods: The development of CRIM is presented. Current research results of a randomized controlled trial with 30 patients are described. This is exemplified by the case study of a treated female patient illustrating the symptoms and the distress related to the feeling of being contaminated as well as the pleasing effects of the short intervention with CRIM. Results: Using the CRIM method presented here a very promising significant reduction in the feeling of being contaminated could be achieved and also of the PTSD symptoms in general. Conclusion: The CRIM is a suitable approach for altering the feeling of being contaminated in PTSD after experiencing sexual violence in childhood. Due to the very promising results an extension of CRIM to other distressful self-images of PTSD patients after various forms of trauma can be undertaken. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.