AUTHOR=Woldemariam Solomon , Ashman Dorothy , Carvalho Esly , Wong Sik-Lam , Hoersting Raquel 

TITLE=AIP-based Professional Intervention Program for Adversity for trauma and stress reduction in groups: a pilot study in Ethiopia

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=Volume 15 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1351713

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1351713

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=Drawing from the principles of EMDR therapy and the AIP model, the Professional Intervention Program for Adversity (PIPA) was developed with the objective of amalgamating low-intensity group exercises into a unified framework, as a comprehensive intervention for group therapy. The PIPA Program integrates various aspects of EMDR therapy—such as stabilization, resourcing, desensitization, reprocessing, and forming beliefs about the self and future—into a cohesive program. The program's structure includes self-regulation exercises, the Pillars of Life, the Flash Technique, and the Quadrants exercise. The PIPA Program was administered to more than 220 individuals with a high probability of traumatization by the two-year civil war in Ethiopia (2020-2022). The results of this study show a significant improvement in PTSD symptoms and distress levels after completing the PIPA Program in a pre- and post-test design. Future studies should explore the long-term effects of the PIPA Program and its broader application across different therapeutic contexts. The findings suggest that the PIPA Program is a promising group-based intervention for trauma treatment that is safe and effective, especially in non-clinical settings and for culturally diverse populations.