Treatment of Formerly Abducted Children (FAC) in Uganda

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.

Conditions

• Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

Interventions

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.

BEHAVIORAL

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.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• German Research Foundation

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Konstanz

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Frank Neuner, Univ.-Prof. Dr. · Bielefeld University

• Thomas Elbert, Univ.-Prof. Dr. · University of Konstanz

• Verena Ertl, Dipl.-Psych. (MSc) · Bielefeld University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

12 Years

Max Age

25 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2007-11-30

Primary Completion

2009-11-30

Completion

2009-11-30

Countries

• Uganda

Study Locations