The process of change and efficacy of trauma-focused social adjustment therapy (TF-SAT) on psychosocial adjustment of young individuals with complex trauma-related disorders: a case study

Trauma-focused social adjustment therapy (TF-SAT) is a specialized therapeutic protocol proposed to target treatment-resistant effects of trauma on young individuals' psychosocial adjustment. This pilot study aimed to investigate the hypothesized process of change and efficacy of TF-SAT. Using a single-subject case study design, two young adults (one female, aged 22, and one male, aged 30) with a history of complex trauma and current significant problems with psychosocial adjustment participated in a semistructured intervention delivered on a weekly basis for over a period of 8 months. The trend of change in the variables of interest was evaluated through repetitive assessments during the baseline, therapeutic, and follow-up phases. The results of visual analysis, D index, and the percentage of nonoverlapping data showed that TF-SAT improved social problem-solving, reduced cognitive avoidance, psychological distress, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and improved overall social adjustment. One-month follow-up assessments identified stable improving trends for both participants after completing the therapeutic process. Based on our findings, TFSAT is a promising short intervention to be used with young individuals with a complex trauma history and struggling with psychosocial adjustment. However, more controlled empirical studies are required to evaluate the efficacy and the applicability of TF-SAT in different therapeutic contexts and with larger sample sizes.