Narrative Exposure Therapy versus treatment as usual in a sample of trauma survivors who live under ongoing threat of violence in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Trials

Samuel Carleial¹  Simone Gonçalves de Assis²  Joviana Quintes Avanci²  Fernanda Serpeloni³  Jeanine Arabella Narrog⁴  Anke Koebach⁵ 

[1] Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464, Konstanz, Germany;Department of Studies on Violence and Health Jorge Careli, National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Avenida Brasil 4036, 700 Manguinhos, 21040-361, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;Department of Studies on Violence and Health Jorge Careli, National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Avenida Brasil 4036, 700 Manguinhos, 21040-361, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;Vivo International e.V., Postbox 5108, 78430, Konstanz, Germany;Vivo International e.V., Postbox 5108, 78430, Konstanz, Germany;Vivo International e.V., Postbox 5108, 78430, Konstanz, Germany;Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464, Konstanz, Germany;

关键词: Narrative Exposure Therapy;    PTSD;    Trauma;    Depression;    Community violence;    Violence;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13063-021-05082-2

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundOne in three individuals who live in Rio de Janeiro experience a traumatic event within a period of 12 months. In the favelas particularly, trauma exposure is ongoing. Psychological sequalae include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and other mental disorders. Trauma-focused therapy approaches have emerged as the treatment of choice when the dangerous events are over, but symptoms have remained for an extended time period. Ideally, the victim is in a safe context during treatment. However, frequently, survivors cannot escape from situations characterised by ongoing threat and traumatic stress. The aim of this study is to research the effectiveness of Narrative Exposure Therapy in a sample of PTSD patients living under these conditions.MethodsIndividuals fulfilling the criteria for PTSD and who live in conditions of ongoing community violence (i.e. in the favelas) in Rio de Janeiro will be randomly assigned to one of two treatments: Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) or treatment as usual (TAU). Clinical endpoints will be primarily PTSD and secondarily symptoms of shutdown dissociation, depression, substance involvement  and functionality.DiscussionEffective treatment for PTSD patients who live in unsafe conditions could substantially reduce suffering of individuals and their families in Brazil. Based on this result, the extent to which such interventions may be useful as a first step in tackling the consequences of violence on a global scale will be discussed.Trial registrationDeutsches Register Klinischer Studien (German Clinical Trials Register) DRKS00017843. Registered on September 24, 2019

【 授权许可】

CC BY