Narrative Exposure Therapy Versus Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy -A Controlled Clinical Trial With Orphaned Survivors of the Rwandan Genocide

The 1994 genocide of Rwanda has left countless children orphaned. 26 Rwandan orphans who fulfilled DSM-IV diagnosis of PTSD were offered participation in a controlled treatment trial. A group adaptation of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT, n = 14) was compared to Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET, n = 12). Main outcome measures were symptoms of PTSD and depression assessed pre-treatment, 3 months after therapy (post-test) and 6 months after therapy (follow-up) using the CAPS, MINI and Hamilton Rating Scale. At post-test, participants in both treatment conditions showed reductions in posttraumatic stress symptoms and depression symptoms. At 6-month follow-up, NET proved to be more effective in the treatment of PTSD. Only 25% (n = 3) of NET-participants but 71% (n = 10) of the IPT-participants still fulfilled PTSD criteria at follow-up. Although there was a significant reduction in depression symptoms in both treatment groups from pre-test to follow-up, NET again proved to be more effective. This treatment-trial demonstrates that NET and group-IPT are suitable treatment modules even when most severe traumatic stress and difficult living conditions have led to chronic mental suffering.