Addressing Post-traumatic Stress and Aggression by Means of Narrative Exposure: A Randomized Controlled Trial with Ex-Combatants in the Eastern DRC

Hermenau, Katharin; Hecker, Tobias; Schaal, Susanne; Maedl, Anna; Elbert, Thomas

doi:10.1080/10926771.2013.824057

Cited by 59 publications

(79 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…This finding suggests that there is a need for communitybased interventions, which include treatment elements to reduce levels of appetitive aggression and to restore psychological functioning. A recent pilot study with former Congolese ex-combatants demonstrated that symptoms of PTSD and levels of appetitive aggression can be successfully treated in perpetrators of mass violence (Hermenau, Hecker, Schaal, Maedl, & Elbert, 2013). Such effective treatments should be part of reintegration programs of perpetrators to facilitate a peaceful coexistence.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Appetitive Aggression in Rwandan Genocide Perpetrators

Schaal

Heim

Elbert

2014

Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma

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The objectives of this study were to investigate rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) KEYWORDS appetitive aggression, combat trauma, exposure to violence, genocide, perpetrators, posttraumatic stress disorder, RwandaDuring the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, it is estimated that nearly 1 million people were murdered over the course of 3 months. Fighting erupted between two artificially divided "ethnic" groups, the Hutu majority and the Tutsi minority. The main goal of the perpetrators of the genocide was to eliminate the Tutsi minority and the Hutu opponents. Many people, including ordinary citizens, either willingly joined the slaughter or did so under

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Appetitive Aggression in Rwandan Genocide Perpetrators

Schaal

Heim

Elbert

2014

Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma

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“…Social influences should thus be considered when treating PTSD (Maercker & Horn, 2013), and effective community-wide interventions are needed to improve social support (Kaniasty & Norris, 2008), which has been shown to be essential in the successful reduction of appetitive aggression in combination with interventions like FORNET (Hermenau et al, 2013). Conversely, the lack of social support may contribute to environments that promote reoffending (Payne, Tewksbury, & Mustaine, 2010).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Short-term interventions such as the Narrative Exposure Therapy for Forensic Offender Rehabilitation (FORNET) have shown promising results in reducing both posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Hermenau, Hecker, Schaal, Maedl, & Elbert, 2013; Köbach, Schaal, Hecker, & Elbert, 2015) and aggressive behaviour in victim–offender populations living in violent environments (Crombach & Elbert, 2015). Effective psychological treatment may be the core facilitator of such reductions in PTSD and the propensity toward violence – also known as appetitive aggression (Elbert, Weierstall, & Schauer, 2010) – in these populations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, improvements in social acknowledgment through an intervention incorporating techniques from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) have been shown to mediate the reduction of PTSD in trauma victims after treatment (Xu et al, 2015). With regard to changes in appetitive aggression, scores decreased over time in a treatment trial in Congolese soldiers who received social support via a reintegration programme (Hermenau et al, 2013). However, the associations between social acknowledgment and changes in appetitive aggression have yet to be studied.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Associations between societal disapproval and changes in symptoms of PTSD and appetitive aggression following treatment among high-risk South African males

Sommer

Hinsberger

Holtzhausen

et al. 2017

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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Background: In violent communities, social rejection as a person with victim–offender attributes is associated with more intense symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a higher propensity towards violence, i.e. appetitive aggression. Successful community reintegration encompassing adequate social acknowledgment of individuals with both a history of violence exposure and perpetration may be necessary to enhance the treatment effects of interventions addressing PTSD and aggression. Objective: In this study, the effects of treatment and post-treatment traumatic events, violent offenses, and social acknowledgment (with sub-dimensions of general disapproval, family disapproval, and recognition as a person with both a history of violence exposure and commission) on changes in PTSD symptom severity and appetitive aggression from baseline to 8-month follow-up were investigated. Method: Data were collected from 54 males recruited through a Cape Town offender reintegration programme for an intervention study targeting trauma and aggression (n = 28 treatment; n = 26 wait-list). Changes in PTSD symptom severity after treatment were assessed with the PTSD Symptom Scale-Interview, changes in appetitive aggression with the Appetitive Aggression Scale (AAS), post-treatment traumatic events with an adapted version of the Child’s Exposure to Violence Checklist, offenses with an adapted checklist from the AAS, and social acknowledgment with an adapted form of the Social Acknowledgment Questionnaire. Results: Path analyses revealed negative relationships between ongoing societal disapproval and changes in PTSD symptom severity and appetitive aggression at 8-months, controlling for age. All other variables were non-significant, except for treatment, which was associated with PTSD symptom reduction. Conclusions: As a complementary strategy to effective psychotherapeutic treatment, increased social acknowledgment may contribute significantly to the alleviation of PTSD symptoms and appetitive aggression. Psychological interventions should, therefore, not neglect the impact of societal factors on treatment effects.

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“…Additionally, visions for the future are developed to foster successful integration into society. Although there are early FORNET pilot trials (Hermenau et al, 2013), future studies need to focus on whether survivors on both sides of this cycle of violence can profit from evidence-based methods.…”

Section: The Trained Torturer: Experience and Consequencesmentioning

confidence: 98%

Torture and its Consequences, Psychology of

Meyer-Parlapanis

Elbert

2015

International Encyclopedia of the Social &Amp; Behavioral Sciences

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Addressing Post-traumatic Stress and Aggression by Means of Narrative Exposure: A Randomized Controlled Trial with Ex-Combatants in the Eastern DRC

Cited by 59 publications

References 35 publications

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Appetitive Aggression in Rwandan Genocide Perpetrators

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Appetitive Aggression in Rwandan Genocide Perpetrators

Associations between societal disapproval and changes in symptoms of PTSD and appetitive aggression following treatment among high-risk South African males

Torture and its Consequences, Psychology of

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