Mental Health and Aggression in Congolese Ex-combatants

NCT ID: NCT01625117

Last Updated: 2013-06-26

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: PHASE2
• Total Enrollment: 38 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2011-05-31
• Study Completion Date: 2012-09-30

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is examine, whether a treatment approach, which is specifically tailored for perpetrators who have participated in violence (a variant of Narrative Exposure Therapy) is effective in the reduction of instrumental aggression and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Detailed Description

The reintegration of former child soldiers and ex-combatants is a big challenge in war-torn countries. Former child soldiers and ex-combatants often suffer from mental health problems and show enhanced levels of aggression. The present study focuses on the reduction of appetitive aggression and the improvement of mental health in former child soldiers and ex-combatants in DR Congo.

Conditions

Appetitive Aggression; Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Control Group

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

A variant of Narrative exposure therapy

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

A variant of Narrative Exposure Therapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

During the proposed therapy, the client constructs a chronological narrative of his or her whole life which includes all traumatic experiences and perpetrated violent acts. All emotions, cognitions, sensory information, and physiological reactions are activated and linked to the autobiographical context.In five sessions the therapist and the client try to go through all important traumatic experiences and perpetrated violent acts. The sixth session is a group session with four to five clients. The group session is oriented on Interpersonal Psychotherapy and focuses on the role change from soldier to civilian.

Interventions

A variant of Narrative Exposure Therapy

During the proposed therapy, the client constructs a chronological narrative of his or her whole life which includes all traumatic experiences and perpetrated violent acts. All emotions, cognitions, sensory information, and physiological reactions are activated and linked to the autobiographical context.In five sessions the therapist and the client try to go through all important traumatic experiences and perpetrated violent acts. The sixth session is a group session with four to five clients. The group session is oriented on Interpersonal Psychotherapy and focuses on the role change from soldier to civilian.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Ex-combatants in Congo who live in a re-integration camp

• Minimum Eligible Age: 16 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 35 Years
• Eligible Sex: MALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

German Research Foundation

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Konstanz

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Susanne Schaal

Susanne Schaal

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Thomas Elbert, Prof. Dr.

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

University of Konstanz

Locations

Reintegration camp for ex-combatants

Goma, , Republic of the Congo

Countries

Republic of the Congo

Other Identifiers

DFG_2011

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id