NET for SGBV Survivors in Eastern DR Congo

University of Konstanz201 enrolled

Overview

Throughout the last 10 years Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) has evolved as one of the most effective, culturally sensitive trauma interventions. In the present study the effectiveness of NET delivered by trained health personnel in a sample of survivors of sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) who suffer from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) will be assessed. Structured baseline, 3 and 6 month follow up interviews will be administered to assess the main outcome measures PTSD and shame. The trial will take place in Goma, DR Congo, where SGBV and its sequelae has been a major problem.

Participants will be recruited through local NGOs and eligible clients randomized to the treatment (NET; app. N=100) or treatment-as-usual control (app. N=100) group, respectively. At baseline, 3-month and 6-month post-treatment, sociodemographic data, trauma exposure - esp. SGBV, PTSD, dissociation, shame, functionality and depression will be assessed in a structured interview. The interviews will be conducted by blind Congolese psychological interviewers after an intensive 3-weeks training and continuous supervision.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

201

Conditions

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Shame

Interventions

Narrative Exposure TherapyBEHAVIORAL

Social SupportBEHAVIORAL

A local counselors provides social support on demand.

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 16 YearsMax age: 80 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * SGBV survivors (event happened more than 4 weeks ago) * PTSD diagnosis (DSM-5) Exclusion Criteria: * Acute psychosis * Signs of cerebro-organic disease * Acute drug or alcohol intoxication

Locations (1)

University of Konstanz

Konstanz, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

PSS-I: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder symptom severity (sumscore and diagnosis)

PTSD Symptom Scale - Interview (PSS-I; Foa \& Tolin, 2000)

Time frame: Change from baseline to 3 and 6 months post treatment

SVQ: Severity of shame (sumscore)

Shame Variability Questionnaire (Brown, Rizvi \& Linehan, unpublished)

Time frame: Change from baseline to 3 and 6 months post treatment

Secondary Outcomes

ShutD: Severity of Shutdown Dissociation Symptoms (sumscore)

Shutdown Dissociation Scale (Schalinski et al., 2015)

Time frame: Change from baseline to 3 and 6 months post treatment

PHQ: Depression symptom severity (sumscore)

Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 (PHQ-9; Kroenke \& Spitzer, 2002)

Time frame: Change in 3 and 6 months post treatment

Functionality (sumscore)

Local Functionality Index (LFI; Bass et al., 2013)

Time frame: 3 and 6 months post treatment

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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