The effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on post-traumatic stress symptoms of nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Post-traumatic stress disorder is very common after the pandemics that occurred in the past years. It is important to evaluate students, who are in the most affected group during the COVID-19 pandemic, in terms of post-traumatic stress symptoms and to reduce post-traumatic stress symptoms with the application of cognitive behavioral therapy. This research, which was conducted to examine the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on post-traumatic stress symptoms of nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic, is a pre-test, post-test, parallel group, randomized controlled trial. 60 first-year students studying at the Faculty of Nursing were randomly assigned to experimental (n=30) and control (n=30) groups. Data were collected using the Information Form and the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5, prepared by the researcher. Measurements were made online three times for the study group: before the cognitive behavioral group therapy, at the end of the therapy and three months later. Independent groups t test, Cochran's Q, one-way ANOVA and mixed pattern ANOVA analysis were used to evaluate the data. The results were tested at the p<0,05 significance level. A significant difference was found in the evaluation of intra-group changes in the scores students received from the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 throughout the group therapy application and in the follow-up measurement (p<0,001). It was determined that the change in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist total score and all subscale score averages over time for DSM-5 was significant (p<0,05). Also, it was detected that the group-time interaction of the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 was significant in the experimental group. It is seen that the common effect on the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 avoidance subscale scores differs significantly with a large effect size (p<0,001, η2:0.98). As a result, group therapy based on the cognitive behavioral approach applied to students was found to be effective in reducing post-traumatic stress symptoms. It is recommended that this study be implemented in different age groups and also individually. Key words: Cognitive behavioral therapy, Pandemic, Trauma, Post-traumatic stress.