Evaluation of a Group-based, Cognitive-behavioural Intervention With Former Child Soldiers and Other War-affected Children in the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Randomised Controlled Trial.
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- Queen's University, Belfast
- Enrollment
- 58
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in post-traumatic stress symptoms measured by UCLA-PTSD-RI
Study Overview
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate, in a randomised control trial (RCT), the effectiveness of group-based, trauma-focused Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (TF-CBT) in reducing psychological distress in former child soldiers and other war-affected children in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Detailed Description
To the best of the author's knowledge this is the first group-based mental health or psychosocial intervention developed specifically for psychologically distressed former child soldiers. While CBT is the modality with most empirical evidence for treating war-affected young people, this is the first evaluation with child soldiers specifically.
Former child soldiers and war affected 'street boys' (aged 13-17) in eastern DRC, will be screened for symptoms of psychological distress and then randomly assigned to either a treatment group or a waiting-list control. The treatment groups will receive a 15-session manualised, culturally-adapted, TF-CBT intervention. This includes psycho-education, relaxation, affect modulation, cognitive processing and constructing a trauma narrative. After treatment and post-testing, the waiting-list controls then begin their intervention.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Treatment
- Masking
- Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 13 Years to 17 Years (Child)
- Sex
- Male
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •War-affected children and adolescents
Exclusion Criteria
- •No traumatic war events experienced
- •Psychosis
- •Inability to speak Swahili, French or English
Arms & Interventions
Waiting List control
TF-CBT
Intervention: TF-CBT (Behavioral)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in post-traumatic stress symptoms measured by UCLA-PTSD-RI
Time Frame: Post-intervention and 3 month
Secondary Outcomes
- Change in psychosocial distress- measures by African Youth Psychosocial Assessment(Post-intervention and 3 month)
Investigators
John McMullen
Principal Investigator
Queen's University, Belfast