Aggressive Behavior, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Conditions
Keywords
Post-traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD), Aggressive Behavior, Appetitive Aggression, Resilience, Preventive Narrative Exposure Therapy
Brief summary
Soldiers in conflict or former conflict regions deployed in peace-keeping missions were and are often exposed to multiple traumatic events and situations in which they are forced to engage in violent behavior. The Preventive Narrative Exposure Therapy (Pre-NET) aims to reinforce resilience thereby reducing the risk of developing or aggravating PTSD or other mental disorders as a result of traumatic experiences. The effective prevention of mental disorders as a result of war deployment is expected to facilitate reintegration in civil life after deployment and reduce uncontrolled violence.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALPreventive Narrative Exposure Therapy
During Pre-NET the client, with the assistance of the therapist, constructs a chronological narrative of his whole life with a focus on exposure to traumatic stress. Empathic understanding, active listening, congruency and unconditional positive regard are key components of the therapist's behavior who asks in detail for emotions, cognitions, sensory information, and physiological reactions, linking them to an autobiographical context. During two sessions a chronological overview of the whole life with a focus on traumatic events is developed and the most important traumatic experiences are processed.
Sponsors
The Volkswagen Foundation
University of Konstanz
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
20 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Exposure to traumatic experiences derived from expert interviews with scores of the Traumatic Life Event List for War and Torture * Soldiers are part of the Burundian army and of the joint African Union and United Nations peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM)
Exclusion criteria
* Current use of mind altering drugs * Psychotic symptoms
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Severity of traumatic symptoms measured via the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Scale-Interview (PSS-I) | 15 months |
| Extend of appetitive aggression via the Appetitive Aggressions Scale (AAS) | 15 months |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Severity of depressive symptoms measured via the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) | 15 months |
| Strength of suicidal ideation measured via the MINI | 15 months |
| Physical health complains | 15 months |
Countries
Burundi
Outcome results
None listed