Treatment of Formerly Abducted Children (FAC) in Uganda

Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Clinical Trial

Official title:

A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial (RCCT) to Test the Effectiveness of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) Versus an Attention Control Condition (AC) in Reducing Trauma Related Symptoms in Formerly Abducted Children and Former Child Soldiers Suffering From Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00552006
• Other study ID #: NE 1390/2-1
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: October 31, 2007
• Last updated: March 7, 2011
• Start date: November 2007
• Est. completion date: November 2009

Study information

• Verified date: July 2008
• Source: University of Konstanz
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Germany: Ethics Commission
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

In the aftermath of traumatic experiences like natural disasters or man-caused traumatic events, such as war experiences, a substantial part of the affected individuals develop a number of psychological symptoms. The characteristic symptom pattern occurring in the aftermath of traumatic events is called posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and includes functional impairment of the affected individuals. The investigators want to test whether Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) is an effective tool in reducing trauma related symptoms in formerly abducted children and youths and former child soldiers, when applied by lay personnel.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 85
• Est. completion date: November 2009
• Est. primary completion date: November 2009
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 12 Years to 25 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• clinical diagnosis of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) derived from expert interviews

• member of the group of formerly abducted people or former child soldiers

Exclusion Criteria:

• current substance dependence

• mental retardation

• psychotic disorder

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
• Stress Disorders, Traumatic

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Narrative Exposure Therapy
Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) is based on Testimony Therapy in combination with cognitive behavioural exposure techniques and elements of client-centered counselling. In cooperation with the therapist the clients can restore their autobiographic memories about their traumatic experiences. In this way fragmentary memories are transformed into a coherent narrative structure. This practice enables the processing of painful emotions and the construction of clear contingencies of dangerous and safe conditions, generally leading to significant emotional recovery. Therapeutic aims are the reduction of PTSD-Symptomload via activation of fear-network and habituation of fear and the placement of traumatic experiences in a reconstructed, detailed and consistent autobiography. NET will be applied in eight sessions (90-120min/session) in a standardized, manualized manner.
• Academic Counseling
Missing time in educational life is one major issue for formerly abducted people. The Academic Counseling (AC) intervention is an active Control condition and improves English skills and works at the same time on concentration, learning and memory abilities. The clients will gain some of the abilities and skills they might have lost or developed weaknesses in due to their abduction. AC will be applied in eight sessions (90-120min/session) in a standardized, manualized manner.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Uganda	Vivo Counselling Centre	Anaka	Amuru

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Konstanz	German Research Foundation

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Uganda, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Load of traumatic symptoms measured via the CAPS (Clinician-administered PTSD scale)		3 months, 6 months and 1 year after completion of treatment	No
Secondary	Load of depressive symptoms measured via the MINI, strength of suicidal ideation measured via the MINI, functionality measured via the CAPS, feelings of guilt measured via the CAPS, stigmatization measured via an adapted version of the PSQ		3 months, 6 months and 1 year after completion of treatment	No