Lay Therapist Effectiveness With Displaced Persons Kurdish Iraq

Mental Health Clinical Trial

Official title:

Lay Therapist Effectiveness With Displaced Persons Kurdish Iraq: Promising Exploratory Results for Global Mental Health Access

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04684810
• Other study ID #: Jiyan01
• Status: Completed
• Start date: October 1, 2017
• Est. completion date: January 31, 2018

Study information

• Verified date: October 2021
• Source: University of New Mexico
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

Negative mental health effects of war exposure and displacement are pervasive, but many displaced persons and refugees in low-and-middle income countries lack access to evidence-based treatments. Community lay-therapists are a promising solution for the global mental health field. However, in spite of results from randomized-control trials, no research to-date has examined the external validity of community-led lay-therapist effectiveness. In this exploratory study, longitudinal data at three time points were collected from 28 Arabic-speaking displaced persons (nineteen women and nine men, ages 18-57) seeking mental health services from the Jiyan Foundation: a non-profit founded and based in Kurdish Iraq. Lay therapists trained in evidence-based treatments upon being hired operated largely independently of supervision from foreign clinicians. Participants in weekly psychotherapy completed the Posttraumatic Stress Checklist (PCL-5) and the Psychological Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) at baseline, one month, and three months, as well as a modified measure assessing traumatic exposure, purpose-in-life, and a modified Afghan Daily Stressors Scale at baseline to assess for moderators of change over time.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 28
• Est. completion date: January 31, 2018
• Est. primary completion date: January 31, 2018
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Must speak Arabic fluently; must be seeking mental health services at the Jiyan Foundation

Exclusion Criteria:

• No Arabic proficiency; under 18 years

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Mental Health
• Therapeutics

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Community Lay Therapist-Administered EBT
Community Therapists Used CBT and EMDR Interventions

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Iraq	Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights	Erbil

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of New Mexico

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Iraq, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	PTSD Symptoms	Measured by the PCL-5	3 months
Primary	Depression Symptoms	Measured by the PHQ-9	3 months