Adolescents’ Experience of Stigma When Accessing School-Based PTSD Interventions

Abstract

This qualitative investigation, nested within a randomized controlled trial (RCT), describes the experiences of adolescent participants accessing psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a school-based setting. Supervised nurses provided the psychotherapeutic interventions. Twelve participants who took part in the RCT were invited, and 10 agreed to share their experiences through recorded face-to-face, semistructured, in-depth interviews and treatment-specific focus groups. Basic thematic analysis was applied using Atlas.ti software. Adolescents described a mixed range of perceived poor, ambivalent, and good support experiences when accessing treatment, and were particularly motivated when they had access to a caring adult. During the trial, adolescents used calculated disclosure strategies to reduce their vulnerability to marginalization and stigma. School-based therapy was well received but could be improved if sessions were offered after school hours. This study provides suggestions for improvement and scale-up of school-based PTSD interventions for adolescents.