Adressing PTSD Symptoms and Aggressive Behavior in Vulnerable Children in Burundi

University of Konstanz

Status: Completed

Conditions: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; Aggressive Behavior

Treatments: Behavioral: Narrative Exposure Therapy for Forensic Offender Rehabilitation (FORNET)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Industry

Identifiers

NCT03498482

UKCR17

Details and patient eligibility

About

Children either living in the streets of Bujumbara or that are similarly affected by extreme poverty or violence are regularly exposed to traumatic events. Additionally, they often find themselves in situations where engaging in violent behavior appears to be useful or even necessary for survival. The Narrative Exposure Therapy for violent offenders (FORNET) aims to reduce both PTSD symptoms and aggressive behavior. It helps the children to anchor fearful experiences and potential positive emotions linked to violent behaviour in the past. Additionally, visions for the future are developed in order to enable reintegration into the family.

The investigators want to provide evidence, that FORNET effectively reduces PTSD symptoms and ongoing aggressive behavior which in change facilitates reintegration into society.

Enrollment: 19 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 8 to 20 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• High degree of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder according to UCLA PTSD Reaction Index

Exclusion criteria

• Psychotic symptoms

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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19 participants in 1 patient group

FORNET

Experimental group

Description:

During FORNET, the client, with the assistance of the therapist, constructs a chronological narrative of his or her entire life with a focus on exposure to traumatic stress and committed violence. Empathic understanding, active listening, congruency and unconditional positive regard are key components of the therapist's behavior. The therapist asks in detail for the client's emotions, cognitions, physiological reactions, and sensory informations during traumatic and aggressive events to link them to an autobiographical context, namely time and place. In total the individuals receive 8 sessions of FORNET, every session lasting between 1.5 and 2 hours depending on the needs of the participant.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Narrative Exposure Therapy for Forensic Offender Rehabilitation (FORNET)