Female adolescents who are victims of sexual violence are highly susceptible to Disturbances in Self-Organization (DSO) in addition to PTSD symptoms, which are classified as Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) in the ICD. Current guidelines recommend phase-based in...
Female adolescents who are victims of sexual violence are highly susceptible to Disturbances in Self-Organization (DSO) in addition to PTSD symptoms, which are classified as Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) in the ICD. Current guidelines recommend phase-based interventions for C-PTSD. Accordingly, this study developed an abbreviated phase-based program for female adolescents with C-PTSD following sexual violence and verified its efficacy. In Study 1, conducted from August to October 2024, a 12-session preliminary program focusing on emotion regulation, interpersonal stability, and traumatic memory processing was administered to four victims at a specialized center for child sexual violence, and its practicality was confirmed through satisfaction ratings and expert feedback. In Study 2, from October 2024 to December 2025, 24 adolescents with C-PTSD were assigned to either an experimental group (n=12), receiving the 12-session program individually, or a waitlist control group (n=12), receiving conventional psychotherapy. After accounting for attrition, 10 participants per group were included in the final analysis. Assessments using the International Trauma Questionnaire, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Traumatized Self-System Scale, and the Korean Inventory of Interpersonal Problems revealed that the experimental group showed statistically significant decreases in DSO, emotion dysregulation (specifically non-acceptance, lack of clarity, limited access to strategies, and difficulties in goal-directed behavior), traumatized self-system (negative self and guilt), and interpersonal problems (detachment) compared to the control group. These improvements were maintained or further enhanced at a 3-week follow-up, supporting the program's effectiveness. This study is significant in demonstrating that an abbreviated phase-based program can effectively improve DSO and socio-emotional difficulties in this population. Limitations include the abbreviated application of phase-based elements rather than a strictly sequential intervention based on symptom severity and the nature of a quasi-experimental design, with suggestions for future research discussed.