Clinical trial NCT01155687: Psychosocial Counseling in Afghanistan
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Mental Health
Stress
Keywords: afghanistan
depression
anxiety
social stress
counseling
medication
psychotherapy
mental health
Lead sponsor: University of Konstanz
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: European Union
First posted: 2010-07-02
Enrollment: 61
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 14
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Observational model: CASE_CONTROL
Sampling method: PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Afghan people at primary care clinic seeking help because of mental health problems

Brief summary: The assessment intends to investigate the efficacy of psychosocial counseling for the treatment of help seeking individuals with psychosocial problems in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan. Treatment was administered by local counselors who had received specific education and training

Detailed description: Psychosocial stress due to conflict and war causes major mental health problems in many resource-poor countries, especially those coping with ongoing war-like conditions. There is a lack of intervention research in these population. The purpose of this assessment was to examine whether the type of psychosocial counseling developed by our group is effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety and significantly increasing the quality of life of help-seeking Afghans.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosis of mental health problems by a local medical doctor

Exclusion Criteria:

* Schizophrenia
* Mental retardation

Primary outcomes:
measure: HSCL 25
timeFrame: Symptoms were assessed at baseline
measure: HSCL 25
timeFrame: 3-month follow-up
measure: HSCL 25
timeFrame: Assessment at 12-month-follow-up
Secondary outcomes:
measure: M.I.N.I. (Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview)
timeFrame: Symptoms were assessed at baseline
measure: Psychosocial stressors and coping mechanism
timeFrame: Symptoms were assessed at baseline
measure: Screening for Depression
timeFrame: Symptoms were assessed at baseline
measure: M.I.N.I. (Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview)
timeFrame: Assessment at 3-month-follow-up
measure: M.I.N.I (Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview)
timeFrame: Assessment at 12-month-follow-up
measure: Psychosocial stressors and coping mechanism
timeFrame: Assessment at 3-month-follow-up
measure: Psychosocial stressors and coping mechanism
timeFrame: Assessment at 12-month-follow-up
measure: Screening for Depression
timeFrame: Assessment at 3-month-follow-up
measure: Screening for Depression
timeFrame: Assessment at 12-month-follow-up
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Mazar-e-Sharif
country: Afghanistan
facility: Counseling Center Mazar-e-Sharif
state: Balkh
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Konstanz
name: Thomas Elbert, Dr.
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: University of Konstanz
name: Sarah Ayoughi
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Ayoughi S, Missmahl I, Weierstall R, Elbert T. Provision of mental health services in resource-poor settings: a randomised trial comparing counselling with routine medical treatment in North Afghanistan (Mazar-e-Sharif). BMC Psychiatry. 2012 Feb 29;12:14. doi: 10.1186/1471-244X-12-14.