Intervention to Support the Reintegration of Former Combatants and Soldiers

Phase 2

• Conditions: Appetitive Aggression; Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
• Interventions: Other: Control group

• Registration Number: NCT01624987
• Lead Sponsor: University of Konstanz

Brief Summary

The project aims to investigate if trauma-related disorders and appetitive aggression can be reduced in former ex-combatants in DR Congo when a specific intervention (Narrative Exposure Therapy for Forensic Offender Rehabilitation, FORNET) is delivered by trained local personnel (phase 1). In a second step, the project aims to investigates the treatment success if this specific therapy is carried out by local personnel who have been trained by other local personnel ("train the trainer", phase 2) under the supervision of experts of the University of Konstanz.

Detailed Description

The reintegration of former child soldiers and ex-combatants is a big challenge in war-torn countries. Former child soldiers and ex-combatants often suffer from mental health problems and show enhanced levels of aggression. The present study focuses on the reduction of appetitive aggression and the improvement of mental health in former child soldiers and ex-combatants in DR Congo.

The project consists of four steps:

1. Training of selected DDRRR personnel(first generation)in FORNET (a variant of Narrative Exposure Therapy to treat trauma-related disorders and to reduce appetitive aggression)by experts from the University of Konstanz.

2. Treatment phase 1: Intervention will be carried out by therapists of the first generation. The trained therapists of the first generation will be supervised from the experts of the University of Konstanz.

3. Training of a second generation of DDRRR personnel in FORNET by the therapists of the first generation.

4. Treatment phase 2: Intervention will be carried out by therapists of the second generation. The trained therapists of the second generation will be supervised from the therapists of the first generation.

The study is conceived as a randomized controlled study. In phase 1 and in phase 2, study participants will be randomized allocated to the intervention group (FORNET) and the control group (no intervention). The treatment effect will be measured by pre-post and 6-months follow-up evaluations.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2012-06
• Study First Submitted: 2012-06-19
• Study First Submitted QC: 2012-06-20
• Study First Posted: 2012-06-21
• Status Verified: 2013-07
• Last Update Submitted: 2013-07-29
• Last Update Posted: 2013-07-30
• Primary Completion: 2014-02
• Study Completion: 2014-02

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: Male
• Target Recruitment: 100

Inclusion Criteria

• Ex-combatants who live in a transit camp in Goma, Congo.

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
NET for Forensic Offender Rehabilitation	Control group	Narrative Exposure Therapy for Forensic Offender Rehabilitation (FORNET)

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Appetitive Aggression (Appetitive Aggression Scale)	6 months
Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (Post-traumatic Diagnostic Scale, PDS)	6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Functionality (Work and Social Adjustment Scale)	6 months
Symptoms of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)	6 months
Substance abuse	6 months
Re-integration questionnaire	6 months

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Transit Camp for ex-combatants/Reintegration camp for ex-combatants (ETN); 🇨🇬 Goma, Congo