Developing and Testing of Culturally Adapted Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CaCBT) for Pashto Speaking Pakistanis and Afghans

Overview

CBT for common mental disorders has a strong evidence base in both the USA and the UK. There are wider cultural and linguistic differences between Non Pashtun and Pashtun population of Pakistan and Afghanistan and there is evidence from research to suggest that CBT might need some adaptations when working with clients from non-western background. This study, thus, aims to culturally adapt CBT for common mental disorders for Pashto speaking population in Pakistan and Afghanistan and to test the effectiveness of this adapted CBT through a small scale pilot study. The study will be carried out using mixed methods; quantitative and qualitative. Qualitative part will consist of structured interview with a minimum of 10-15 patients; carers; and mental health professionals, respectively, using the interview questionnaires. The data will be analysed by systematic content and question analysis which will identify the emerging themes and categories. The data will then be reorganized into wider themes and categories and written for guidelines to culturally adapt therapy manual for common mental disorders. Quantitative phase will be a RCT involving 40 patients (20 in each arm) to assess the effectiveness of a "CaCBT intervention" for Pashto speaking patients. All those who fulfill the diagnostic criteria of depressive episode or recurrent depressive disorder using ICD 10 RDC, are living near or can easily travel to the psychiatry departments in Peshawar, will be included in the study. The intervention group of the RCT will receive CaCBT intervention in addition to the treatment as usual (TAU) while the control group receives TAU. The assessment will be carried out at base-line and at the end of therapy (8-12 weeks). Bradford Somatic Inventory (BSI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Brief Disability Questionnaire (BDQ)/ WHO DAS will be used to measure somatic symptoms, anxiety, depression and disability due to physical and psychological problems, respectively. Schwartz Outcome Scale will be used at follow up to measure the outcome.