Expressive group counseling as a model for increasing self-awareness to reduce trauma symptoms experienced by children in Palestine

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a time-limited group counseling program based on expressive activities in improving levels of self awareness and reducing PTSD symptoms for children experiencing symptoms of trauma in the West Bank of Palestine. The sample consisted of 30 children who have all experienced significant losses and trauma from Nablus, Palestine ranging from 9-12 years of age. Participants were randomly assigned to either a treatment or control group (15 in each condition).  Results demonstrated that using expressive techniques in a counseling group over a 16 week period improved the level of self-awareness and reduced symptoms of PTSD significantly when compared to a no treatment control group. These findings support the implementation of time limited counseling groups using expressive techniques with children in situations of high intensity and multiple exposure trauma.    Key words: Group counseling for children, expressive activities, self- awareness, trauma symptoms, Palestine.