Psychological and Psychosocial Intervention With War-Affected Children

Queen's University, Belfast50 enrolled

Overview

The investigators are interested in knowing whether a group-based, trauma-focused intervention (Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) is superior to a more general, non trauma-focused, psychosocial intervention (Child Friendly Spaces) in reducing post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety and conduct problems and increasing pro-social behavior among war-affected children in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Depression Anxiety Conduct Pro-social Behavior

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms as Measured by the University of California Los Angelus Post Traumatic Stress Disorder -Reaction Index

The UCLA PTSD Reaction Index is a self-report questionnaire that measures exposure to traumatic events and assesses post-tramatic stress symptoms in school-age children and adolescents. The Congolese Swahili version used in the study had 22 items and assesses the frequency of occurrence of PTSD symptoms during the past week (rated from 0 = none of the time to 4 = most of the time). The scale ranged from 0 (no symptoms) to 88 (highest score possible). Although no cut-off score was used, the higher the score of the scale the higher the number of PTSD symptoms experienced.

Time frame: baseline, 3 week post-intervention and 6-month follow up

Secondary Outcomes

Change in Internalizing Symptoms as Measured by the African Youth Psychosocial Assessment Instrument

The African Youth Psychosocial Assessment Instrument is a self-report questionnaire that measures internalizing, externalizing, conduct and pro-social (daily life functioning) skills symptoms. The Congolese Swahili version of the AYPA contained 19 questions on internalizing symptoms and assesses the frequency of occurrence of internalizing symptoms during the past week (rated from 0 = none of the time to 4 = most of the time). The lowest score obtainable on the measure was 0, while the highest score obtainable was 76. Although no cut-off score was used, the higher the score on the scale, the greater the psychosocial distress being reported.

Time frame: baseline, 3 week post-intervention and 6 month follow up

Change in Externalizing Symptoms as Measured by the African Youth Psychosocial Assessment Instrument

The African Youth Psychosocial Assessment Instrument is a self-report questionnaire that measures internalizing, externalizing, conduct and pro-social (daily life functioning) skills symptoms. The Congolese Swahili version of the AYPA contained 10 questions about symptoms of conduct disorder and assesses the frequency of occurrence of externalizing symptoms during the past week (rated from 0 = none of the time to 4 = most of the time). The lowest score obtainable on the measure was 0, while the highest score obtainable was 40. Although no cut-off score was used, the higher the score on the scale, the greater the psychosocial adjustment difficulties being reported.

Time frame: baseline, 3-week post-intervention, 6-month follow up

Change in Pro-Social Behaviors as Measured by the African Youth Psychosocial Assessment Instrument

The African Youth Psychosocial Assessment Instrument is a self-report questionnaire that measures internalizing, externalizing, conduct and pro-social (daily life functioning) skills symptoms. The Congolese Swahili version of the AYPA contained 8 questions about pro-social behavior and assesses the frequency of occurrence of positive behaviors (e.g. sharing with others, listening to others and elders etc.) during the past week (rated from 0 = none of the time to 4 = most of the time). The lowest score obtainable on the measure was 0, while the highest score obtainable was 32. Although no cut-off score was used, the higher the score on the scale, the more pro-social the individual's behavior is.