Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) for Victims of the Recent Flood Disaster in Burundi

Sponsor

University of Konstanz (Other)

Overall Status

Completed

CT.gov ID

NCT02172066

Collaborator

Vivo international e.V. (Industry), Université Lumière de Bujumbura (Other)

Enrollment

Location

Arms

Duration (Months)

4.6

Patients Per Site Per Month

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

In the aftermath of natural disasters, e.g., flood disasters, there is a great need for humanitarian assistance in the domain of psychological support. This is particularly true in post-conflict settings because people have suffered severely from multiple traumatic events and situations during their lives. The Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) is a short-term, culturally sensitive treatment approach that aims to reduce Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms.

The investigators want to provide evidence, that NET is an effective and efficient module to assist people in the aftermath of natural disasters using the example of the recent flood disaster in Burundi. In addition the investigators aim to explore, how traumatic incidences and maltreatment during childhood may influence treatment outcomes.

Condition or Disease	Intervention/Treatment	Phase
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder	Behavioral: Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)	N/A

Study Design

Study Type:

Interventional

Actual Enrollment :

51 participants

Allocation:

Non-Randomized

Intervention Model:

Single Group Assignment

Masking:

Single (Outcomes Assessor)

Primary Purpose:

Treatment

Official Title:

Evaluation of the Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) as Means to Reduce Psychological Impairment in the Aftermath of the Recent Flood Disaster in Bujumbura, Burundi

Study Start Date :

Jun 1, 2014

Actual Primary Completion Date :

May 1, 2015

Actual Study Completion Date :

May 1, 2015

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/Treatment
Experimental: Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) During NET, 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. Empathic understanding, active listening, congruency and unconditional positive regard are key components of the therapist's behavior. The therapist asks in detail for emotions, cognitions, sensory information, and physiological reactions to link the traumatic events to an autobiographical context, namely time and place. In total the Individuals receive 6 sessions of NET, every session lasting between 1,5 and 2 hr depending on the needs of the participant.	Behavioral: Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)
No Intervention: No treatment control

Arm

Intervention/Treatment

Experimental: Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)

During NET, 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. Empathic understanding, active listening, congruency and unconditional positive regard are key components of the therapist's behavior. The therapist asks in detail for emotions, cognitions, sensory information, and physiological reactions to link the traumatic events to an autobiographical context, namely time and place. In total the Individuals receive 6 sessions of NET, every session lasting between 1,5 and 2 hr depending on the needs of the participant.

Behavioral: Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)

No Intervention: No treatment control

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

Change from baseline in Diagnosis and load of PTSD symptoms assessed via the Posttraumatic Symptom Scale - Interview (PSS-I) at 3 and 9 months follow-up [baseline, 3-months-follow-up, 9-months-follow-up]

Secondary Outcome Measures

Change from baseline in load of depressive symptoms assessed via the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) at 3 months and 9 months follow-up [baseline, 3-months-follow-up, 9-months-follow-up]
Change in strength of suicidal ideation measured via the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) at 3 months and 6 months follow-up [baseline, 3-months-follow-up, 9-months-follow-up]

Other Outcome Measures

Previous traumatic events measured via vivo Event Checklist for War, Detention and Torture Experiences [baseline]
Adverse experiences during childhood measured via the Domestic and Community Violence Checklist [3-months-follow-up]

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and Older

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

Inclusion Criteria:

Individuals severely affected (e.g., who had lost their children) by the flood disaster in Bujumbura
All participants were part of the emergency program of the Red Cross Burundi who assisted those most affected by the flood disaster in Bujumbura
Inclusion criteria for therapy: High degree of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder according to the Posttraumatic Symptom Scale - Interview (PSSI)

Exclusion Criteria:

Pregnancy
Current substance dependence
Psychotic symptoms

Contacts and Locations

Locations

	Site	City	State	Country	Postal Code
1	vivo international e.V.; University Lumière de Bujumbura; Red Cross Burundi	Bujumbura		Burundi

Sponsors and Collaborators

University of Konstanz
Vivo international e.V.
Université Lumière de Bujumbura

Investigators

Principal Investigator: Anselm Crombach, Dr, University of Konstanz

Study Documents (Full-Text)

None provided.

More Information

Publications

None provided.

Responsible Party:

Anselm Crombach, Principal Investigator, University of Konstanz

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:

NCT02172066

Other Study ID Numbers:

UKCR2014

First Posted:

Jun 24, 2014

Last Update Posted:

Jul 20, 2015

Last Verified:

Jul 1, 2015

Keywords provided by Anselm Crombach, Principal Investigator, University of Konstanz

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Childhood maltreatment

Additional relevant MeSH terms:

Stress Disorders, Traumatic

Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

Study Results

No Results Posted as of Jul 20, 2015