Randomized Control Trial of Group Intervention With Former War-affected Boys in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to evaluate, in a randomised control trial (RCT), the effectiveness of group-based, trauma-focused Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (TF-CBT) in reducing psychological distress in former child soldiers and other war-affected children in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Detailed Description
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To the best of the author's knowledge this is the first group-based mental health or psychosocial intervention developed specifically for psychologically distressed former child soldiers. While CBT is the modality with most empirical evidence for treating war-affected young people, this is the first evaluation with child soldiers specifically. Former child soldiers and war affected 'street boys' (aged 13-17) in eastern DRC, will be screened for symptoms of psychological distress and then randomly assigned to either a treatment group or a waiting-list control. The treatment groups will receive a 15-session manualised, culturally-adapted, TF-CBT intervention. This includes psycho-education, relaxation, affect modulation, cognitive processing and constructing a trauma narrative. After treatment and post-testing, the waiting-list controls then begin their intervention.

Official Title
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Evaluation of a Group-based, Cognitive-behavioural Intervention With Former Child Soldiers and Other War-affected Children in the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

Conditions
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Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, Conduct Disorder

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: TF-CBT


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: War-affected children and adolescents Exclusion Criteria: No traumatic war events experienced Psychosis Inability to speak Swahili, French or English

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 13 Years
Maximum Age: 17 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: TF-CBT<br> | Behavioral: TF-CBT<br>* 15 sessions of group-based, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy<br>* Other names: Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy;|
| No Intervention: Waiting List control<br> | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in post-traumatic stress symptoms measured by UCLA-PTSD-RI |  | Post-intervention and 3 month | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in psychosocial distress- measures by African Youth Psychosocial Assessment | Psychosocial distress- depression, anxiety, conduct problems, antisocial behaviour | Post-intervention and 3 month |