Research note 08
What clinical psychology learned about emotional release: emotional processing theory and exposure, the Cochrane evidence against single-session psychological debriefing, and meta-analyses of regulation strategies across psychopathology.
Question 14
There is no evidence that a single debriefing session prevents PTSD, and one trial found higher risk at a year. That is a finding about one prescribed format, not a reason to stay silent among the people you trust.
Advice 10 · Meta-analytic (systematic review)
Single-session psychological debriefing did not prevent post-traumatic stress disorder in a Cochrane review. Effective trauma treatments are structured and combine emotional activation with new learning. When and how to look for help.