The Trauma Relief Unlimited (T.R.U.) Research Study was truly a collaborative venture between the Trauma Relief Unlimited, (T.R.U.) Program, Brown University and the Rhode Island Foundation. The T.R.U. Program provided the treatment methodology, application and overall design of the Research Study. Brown University provided the Institutional Review Board, (I.R.B.) and acted as the fiscal agent. The Rhode Island Foundation provided the funding.
The T.R.U. Research Study commenced in March 2001 following the approval
of $30,000 in grant funding by the Rhode Island Foundation. Brown University
provided the necessary preliminary review (I.R.B.) and continued to oversee the
research to completion. A research design was developed. A psychometrist was
selected to review the design, to collect, tabulate, interpret and report data.
A second professional was selected and trained to administer the T.R.U.
protocol. Research study participants
were selected from the general public through two sources of
recruitment-newspaper advertising and referral from the professional community.
Research Study participants were screened and randomly assigned to one of the
two T.R.U. treating clinicians. Participants signed a consent to participate
form and were asked to commit to four weekly T.R.U. treatment sessions
including an initial Psychosocial Evaluation. After consultation with the
psychometrist, a suitable, standardized trauma measuring device was selected.
In addition, a second patient report, symptoms tracking system was developed.
The T.R.U. Research Study would be a
40 trauma survivor, randomly
assigned, control group study using two treating professionals. The general
intent of the Research Study design was to scientifically demonstrate the power
and effectiveness of the T.R.U. method and to answer the recommendations of the
earlier T.R.U. Pilot Project completed in 2000. The goals here were to: l.
Increase the sample size from 10 Pilot participants to 40 Research Study
participants. 2. To demonstrate that the T.R.U. protocol, and not the special
qualities of its founder, was responsible for results. This would be
accomplished by training and subsequently treating a portion of the
participants with another T.R.U. therapist. 3. To add to scientific validity
and reliability by using a control group, i.e. replacing the “before and after”
Pilot format. Two other changes in the
design from the Pilot design are notable. The Pilot participants were children.
The Research Study participants would be adults. This would demonstrate the
power and effectiveness of T.R.U. with a much broader age spectrum, virtually
covering all ages, 6 years and older. This is particularly significant since
traditional Art Therapy, the method from which T.R.U. was derived, has
historically been a children’s methodology, commonly used with those under age
12. The Research Study was designed to demonstrate T.R.U. effectiveness with
adults as well as with children. Finally, a different psychometrist was chosen
to review the Research Study to get another professional reaction to, and
interpretation of, the findings.
The treatment phase began in March, 2001. 40 participants were screened
and subsequently assigned randomly to either a Control group or an Experimental
group. The experimental group was divided into two groups. One group would be
treated by the T.R.U. founder, the other by the trained T.R.U. therapist. All
participants were pre-tested with the Trauma Symptoms Inventory, a standardized
test for adult trauma survivors, developed by nationally recognized trauma
specialist John Briere. Incidentally, another of Briere’s tests, The Trauma
Symptoms Checklist for Children was used for the Pilot. The T.S.I. established
a standardized baseline for treatment. A
patient report tracking chart was also administered to all study
participants adding another measuring tool. This tracking device noted weekly
patient report of trauma symptom levels- including levels of depression and
frequency of trauma symptoms. The latter included nightmares, flashbacks,
anxiety attacks, violent episodes and crying spells. All common symptoms of
trauma.
Control Group participants were pre-tested and then asked to wait 30
days before beginning treatment. Collection of Control Group data before and
after the waiting period allowed for a “no treatment” comparison. Control Group
participants were then T.R.U. treated. The Experimental Group was pre-tested
and then T.R.U. treated immediately. Participants in both groups were
post-tested two weeks after the third and final T.R.U. treatment. Participants in both groups at
this writing are being “follow-up tested” four months after the last T.R.U.
treatment. Follow-up testing is designed to preclude “placebo” effects and to
demonstrate T.R.U. staying power over time.