Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Kosovar High School Students Using Mind-Body Skills Groups

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Stress Disorders, Post-traumatic
• Interventions: Behavioral: Mind-Body Skills Groups

• Registration Number: NCT00136357
• Lead Sponsor: The Center for Mind-Body Medicine

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the participation in a group program which includes meditation, biofeedback, drawings, autogenic training, genograms, and a variety of movement and breathing techniques will decrease symptoms of posttraumatic stress in high school students.

Detailed Description

The objective of this study is to determine whether participation in a group program incorporating mind-body techniques decreases symptoms of posttraumatic stress in adolescents. Students will be screened for posttraumatic stress using the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and eighty-two qualifying students will be randomly assigned to a 12-session mind-body group program or a wait-list delayed intervention group. The program will be conducted by the teachers at a high school in Kosovo and include meditation, biofeedback, drawings, autogenic training, genograms, and a variety of movement and breathing techniques. Changes in posttraumatic stress symptoms will be measured using the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2004-08
• Primary Completion: 2005-05
• Study Completion: 2005-05
• Study First Submitted: 2005-08-26
• Study First Submitted QC: 2005-08-26
• Study First Posted: 2005-08-29
• Results First Submitted: 2014-01-27
• Status Verified: 2015-02
• Results First Submitted QC: 2015-02-02
• Last Update Submitted: 2015-02-02
• Results First Posted: 2015-02-16
• Last Update Posted: 2015-02-16

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 82

Inclusion Criteria

• Students having posttraumatic stress (PTSD) as defined according to a scoring algorithm of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire previously described by the Harvard Refugee Trauma group and used in a Kosovar Albanian population. This definition of PTSD requires a score of 3 or 4, on a Likert scale of 1-4, on at least one of the four of the reexperiencing symptoms (Criterion B), at least 3 of the 7 avoidance and numbing symptoms (Criterion C), and at least 2 of the 5 arousal symptoms (Criterion D) in addition to exposure to a traumatic event (Criterion A).

Exclusion Criteria

• No specific exclusion criteria. Students having PTSD symptoms as defined above may participate in the study.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Mind-Body Skills Groups	Mind-Body Skills Groups	12 week mind-body skills group program including guided imagery, relaxation techniques,autogenic training, meditation, biofeedback, drawings, genograms and movement techniques.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Harvard Trauma Questionnaire	Baseline, 12 weeks, 3 months	The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire measures PTSD Symptoms. This scale has 16 items and is rated on a Likert scale from 1-4. The total score is sum of the scores divided by the number of items. Higher scores indicated higher levels of PTSD symptoms.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Jeta e Re High School; Suhareka, Kosovo, Former Yugoslavia