To study if there is improvement in personal growth and changes in severity of traumatic symptoms after providing therapy using narrative and exposure therapy techniques for adolescents who have been rescued from human trafficking

Completed

Conditions: Reaction to severe stress, and adjustment disorders,

Registration Number: CTRI/2021/11/037706

Lead Sponsor: Central Institute of Psychiatry Ranchi

Brief Summary: The aim of the research is to study the efficacy of Narrative Exposure Therapy on trauma symptomatology, psychological distress, post-traumatic growth, resilience, psychological well-being, and global functioning among adolescent female survivors of human trafficking. Narrative Exposure Therapy for traumatized children and adolescents (KIDNET) is a treatment for survivors who continue to suffer from past experiences of traumatic stressors and is specifically designed for those who have been exposed to complex and multiple traumata, after having survived severe and repeated physical and social threats to life and integrity. Adolescent female survivors of human trafficking between the age group of 13 to less than 18 years who have been rescued from trafficking shall be contacted through the Child Welfare Centre under the Department of Women, Child Development & Social Security, Govt. of Jharkhand after seeking necessary permissions. Informed consent and assent shall be provided to the shelters and the individuals. 30 (20 + 10) individuals who fit the inclusion and exclusion criteria shall be given Narrative Exposure Therapy. 20 individuals shall be given the therapy immediately upon recruitment while 10 individuals shall be taken as a waitlisted control group and will be given treatment after a waiting period of 5 weeks. Inclusion criteria will include Individuals in the age group of 13 to less than years old, female gender, Individuals who have been rescued from human trafficking and are residing in the rescue shelters. Individuals who meet the criteria of screening, those with a history of trauma, those who score above cutoff on Psychological Distress, those with no history of having received any past intervention of psychotherapeutic treatment, except a basic intake counselling session, those abstinent from substances and those who can comprehend Hindi and/or English language. The primary purpose of the research is to assess the presence of trauma symptomatology among adolescent female survivors of human trafficking receiving narrative exposure therapy. The research shall also assess the changes in trauma symptomatology, psychological distress, post-traumatic growth, resilience, psychological well-being and global level of functioning at pre-intervention, mid-intervention, and immediate post-intervention assessment measures among adolescent female survivors of human trafficking receiving narrative exposure therapy. The methodology follows null hypothesis for all the variables under study.

Detailed Description: Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: Completed

Sex: Female

Target Recruitment: 30

Inclusion Criteria

Female adolescents in the age group of 13 to less than 18 years old.
Adolescent survivors who have been rescued from human trafficking and are presently residing in observation/shelter homes.
Adolescent survivors who meet the criteria of screening on the Trafficking Victim Identification Tool.
Adolescent survivors with a score Â¬>22 on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale.
Adolescent survivors who respond positively to at least 1 traumatic event as per the Life Events Checklist.
Adolescent survivors who score between 11 to 50 on the Childrenâ€™s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS).
Consent from a guardian/caseworker/agency staff and assent for the study from the adolescent survivor.
Adolescent survivors who can comprehend Hindi and/or English language.

Exclusion Criteria

Adolescent survivors with active substance dependence and severe mental illness as per M.I.N.I KID Screen, except trauma related disorders.
History of past psychiatric disorder previous to trafficking or those with a history of chronic or other significant general medical/neurological/organic illness.
Adolescent survivors who have intellectual disability or deficits (IQ percentile < 25) on Standard Progressive Matrices.
Adolescent survivors with a history of having received any past intervention of psychotherapeutic treatment, except a basic intake counselling session.

Study & Design

Study Type: Interventional

Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Trauma Symptom Severity, Psychological Distress, Global Level of Functioning	pre-test (at baseline), mid-phase test (3rd week), and post-test (6th week)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Post Traumatic Growth, Resilience, Psychological Well Being	pre-test (at baseline), mid-phase test (at 3rd week), and post-test (at 6th week)

Trial Locations

Locations (1): Central Institute of Psychiatry
🇮🇳
Ranchi, JHARKHAND, India
Central Institute of Psychiatry
🇮🇳Ranchi, JHARKHAND, India
Dr Preeti Gupta
Principal investigator
8709396119
preetiguptacp@gmail.com