Community-Implemented Trauma Therapy for Former Child Soldiers in Northern Uganda

Abstract

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00552006.

The Impact of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Interventions on People Affected by Humanitarian Emergencies: A systematic review

“…A further 15 studies delivered programmes in community settings generally 81,96,101,103 (n=4) or in refugee camps 82,88,95,98,114 (n=5), family homes 83,85,87 (n=3), outdoor areas for story-telling and drawing, 108 at football games 110 or in church. 104 A total of seven studies did not specify where the programmes were delivered.…”

“…84,87,99,103,111,112 Six studies had more than one intervention arm, 82,85,86,88,105,114 and 11 studies compared the effect of MHPSS programmes on CYP with those who received no intervention. One study 110 randomly allocated boys into a competitive football league group or a wait-list comparison.…”

“…Five RCTs 84,88,95,112,118 (two medium and three low risk of bias studies) evaluated the impact of NET on PTSD, depression, emotional problems, anxiety, suicide risk, functional impairment, somatic complaints, grief, guilt, school performance and stigmatization. The findings from the meta-analysis suggested that NET could have a positive impact on functional impairment (++).…”

“…One study 95 (medium risk of bias) used a mixed-effects model and reported a positive difference between NET and wait-list control on NET in reducing grief symptoms for Afghan refugee children aged 12-18 participating in the intervention, compared with those in the control group (ES = -0.66*; 95 percent CI (-1.18, -0.14)). One study 88 (medium risk of bias) reported a significant reduction in feelings of guilt in former child soldiers in a NET group (ES = -0.58; 95 percent CI (-1.25, 0.09)), a reduction in feelings of stigmatization (ES = -0.52; 95 percent CI (-1.19, 0.41)) and a slight reduction in suicide risk (ES = -0.17; 95 percent CI (-0.94, 0.48)). One study found no impact of NET on school performance 112 (low risk of bias).…”

“…84,88 Four studies assessed interventions delivered by trained but nonspecialized support workers 84,88,112,118 and one an intervention delivered by healthcare specialists. 95 Two studies were carried out in Sri Lanka, where children had been affected by civil war in the northern region of the country; 112 one study was also carried out immediately after the 2004 tsunami had struck the region.…”