Trauma and Truth Interventions (NET) Versus Conflict Resolution and Social Skills Trainings for Vulnerable Youths in Northern Uganda

Depression Clinical Trial

Official title:

Effects of Trauma-Therapy and Truth Education, Conflict Resolution and Social Skills Trainings and Traditional Ways of Coping in Northern Uganda

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00893750
• Other study ID #: NE1390/2.1_UKon
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: May 4, 2009
• Last updated: June 30, 2010
• Start date: May 2009

Study information

• Verified date: June 2010
• Source: University of Konstanz
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Germany: Ethics Commission
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

More than 300,000 children are fighting in armed conflicts all over the world. In Uganda an estimated number of 25,000 children have been abducted and forced to fight or work as porters and sex slaves on the side of the rebels during the conflict between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan government. Each year, thousands of former child soldiers have returned to their communities after they had fled or were freed from the rebels. It is well known that a high percentage of these youths are suffering from mental health problems. This could be one of the possible reasons why they are facing difficulties to reintegrate into their communities.

The main aim of the proposed project is two-fold. On the one hand, the investigators want to systematically explore the relationship between mental health and important variables for reintegration into the communities like aggression, hostility, feelings of revenge, compromises and conflict behaviour and readiness for reconciliation in formerly abducted and other vulnerable youth (orphans, child mothers and handicapped youths) in Northern Uganda. On the other hand, the investigators want to probe the efficacy of existing and newly developed interventions for formerly abducted and other vulnerable youths that are supposed to foster their mental well-being as well as their reintegration into the society and therewith are part of the long-term prevention of new conflicts in Northern Uganda.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 600
• Est. primary completion date: June 2010
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 12 Years to 30 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• for individual NET Treatment: PTSD diagnosis

• for group interventions: all youths in the selected vocational training centres will be included

Study Design

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

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Aggression
• Depression
• PTSD

Intervention

Behavioral:
• NET Truth Education
Individual Narrative Exposure and Truth Education in Groups
• Conflict Resolution and Social Competence Skills
Conflict Resolution and Social Competence Skills in Groups
• Traditional Ways of Coping
Methods Collected by Local Teachers to Help Vulnerable Children and Youths in Northern Uganda

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Uganda	Vivo	Gulu & Kitgum

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Konstanz

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Uganda, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	PTSD Symptoms and Functional Level		6-months and 12-months follow-up	No
Secondary	Aggression Reconciliation Re-Integration Conflict and Compromise Behaviour		6-months and 12-months follow-up	No

External Links

•   NGO
•   University of Konstanz, Germany