Adressing PTSD Symptoms and Aggressive Behavior in Vulnerable Children in Burundi

NCT ID: NCT03498482

Last Updated: 2018-04-13

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 19 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2017-03-15
• Study Completion Date: 2018-01-31

Brief Summary

Children either living in the streets of Bujumbara or that are similarly affected by extreme poverty or violence are regularly exposed to traumatic events. Additionally, they often find themselves in situations where engaging in violent behavior appears to be useful or even necessary for survival. The Narrative Exposure Therapy for violent offenders (FORNET) aims to reduce both PTSD symptoms and aggressive behavior. It helps the children to anchor fearful experiences and potential positive emotions linked to violent behaviour in the past. Additionally, visions for the future are developed in order to enable reintegration into the family.

The investigators want to provide evidence, that FORNET effectively reduces PTSD symptoms and ongoing aggressive behavior which in change facilitates reintegration into society.

Conditions

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; Aggressive Behavior

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

FORNET

During FORNET, the client, with the assistance of the therapist, constructs a chronological narrative of his or her entire life with a focus on exposure to traumatic stress and committed violence. Empathic understanding, active listening, congruency and unconditional positive regard are key components of the therapist's behavior. The therapist asks in detail for the client's emotions, cognitions, physiological reactions, and sensory informations during traumatic and aggressive events to link them to an autobiographical context, namely time and place. In total the individuals receive 8 sessions of FORNET, every session lasting between 1.5 and 2 hours depending on the needs of the participant.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Narrative Exposure Therapy for Forensic Offender Rehabilitation (FORNET)

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

FORNET aims to reduce trauma-related symptoms and aggressive behavior via narrative exposure of traumatic and violent life events.

Interventions

Narrative Exposure Therapy for Forensic Offender Rehabilitation (FORNET)

FORNET aims to reduce trauma-related symptoms and aggressive behavior via narrative exposure of traumatic and violent life events.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• High degree of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder according to UCLA PTSD Reaction Index

Exclusion Criteria

• Psychotic symptoms

• Minimum Eligible Age: 8 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 20 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Vivo international e.V.

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Psychologues sans Frontières Burundi

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Université Lumière de Bujumbura

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Konstanz

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Anselm Crombach

Principal investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

vivo international & Psychologues sans Frontières mental health center

Bujumbura, Bujumbura Mairie Province, Burundi

Countries

Burundi

Other Identifiers

UKCR17

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id