Cognitive–behavioral group therapy for bereaved adults and children following an air disaster.

Abstract

USAir Right 427 from Chicago crashed on its descent to the Pittsburgh International Airport. All 132 passengers and crew were killed. This crash was unique in that more than 80% of the victims were residents of the greater Pittsburgh area. In this regard, the need for professional intervention became vital. Group intervention allowed the professionals to promptly serve a large number of affected families. It was hypothesized that the group experience would lead to bonding and support that would persist beyond the time limits of the group. A group-based intervention program for adult and child survivors is described, including its administrative structure, therapeutic objectives and interventions, and group process. A direct outcome of this group was the establishment of The USAir Flight 427 Disaster Support League and, subsequently, the development of the National Air Disaster Alliance.On September 8, 1994, USAir Right 427 from Chicago crashed as it began its descent to the Pittsburgh International Airport. All 132 passengers and crew were killed. Many of the passengers aboard the flight were young professionals who had traveled to Chicago on business and were returning home to families and loved ones. Within hours of the crash, surviving loved ones began arriving at the airport to begin the long process of dealing with this tragedy. The Red Cross disaster relief teams took responsibility for immediate intervention. Teams were quickly assembled at a command post in nearby Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, and mental health workers were called to provide crisis intervention. A large assemblage of professionals was requested because of the nature of this disaster.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Symptoms of Trauma and Traumatic Grief in Refugee Youth

“…With refugee youth, it is essential to understand how death and mourning are understood by them and their native culture. For example, a clinician might ask the youth to draw a picture of what he or she thinks happens when someone dies [105]. In addition, the clinician should focus on understanding grief reactions the child may be experiencing.…”

Psychosocial and pharmacological interventions for child crime victims

“…Group therapy has been considered especially appropriate with child victims. It has been used for children victimized by sexual abuse (e.g., Berliner & Saunders, 1996;Deblinger, Stauffer, & Steer, 2001;Stauffer & Deblinger, 1996), traumatic loss (e.g., Layne et al, 2001;Saltzman, Pynoos, Layne, Steinberg, & Aisenberg, 2001;Stubenbort, Donnelly, & Cohen, 2001) and domestic violence (e.g., Grusznski, Brink, & Edelson, 1988;Jaffe, Wolfe, & Wilson, 1990;Peled & Davis, 1995). Group approaches have in common a goal to lessen children's sense of stigma and isolation by allowing them to share their victimization experiences with peers.…”

Treatment of Childhood Traumatic Grief: Contributing to a Newly Emerging Condition in the Wake of Community Trauma

“…4,5 This trauma-focused CBT had been modified prior to 9/11 to include grief-focused interventionsthus becoming traumatic grief CBT (a treatment that was used following an airplane crash outside of Pittsburgh in 1994). 6 As such, it was an ideal treatment to evaluate in the present study. We selected CCT because it represented a common type of treatment provided by community therapists treating grieving children; similar to the Dougy Center's program, 7 which is used by at least 140 grief centers in the United States and abroad, CCT is a supportive, childcentered model for treating grief and thus approximated community treatment-as-usual.…”