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BMC Psychiatry
Published in: BMC Psychiatry 1/2005

Open Access 01-12-2005 | Research article

Narrative Exposure Therapy as a treatment for child war survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder: Two case reports and a pilot study in an African refugee settlement

Authors: Lamaro P Onyut, Frank Neuner, Elisabeth Schauer, Verena Ertl, Michael Odenwald, Maggie Schauer, Thomas Elbert

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2005

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Abstract

Background

Little data exists on the effectiveness of psychological interventions for children with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that has resulted from exposure to war or conflict-related violence, especially in non-industrialized countries. We created and evaluated the efficacy of KIDNET, a child-friendly version of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET), as a short-term treatment for children.

Methods

Six Somali children suffering from PTSD aged 12–17 years resident in a refugee settlement in Uganda were treated with four to six individual sessions of KIDNET by expert clinicians. Symptoms of PTSD and depression were assessed pre-treatment, post-treatment and at nine months follow-up using the CIDI Sections K and E.

Results

Important symptom reduction was evident immediately after treatment and treatment outcomes were sustained at the 9-month follow-up. All patients completed therapy, reported functioning gains and could be helped to reconstruct their traumatic experiences into a narrative with the use of illustrative material.

Conclusions

NET may be safe and effective to treat children with war related PTSD in the setting of refugee settlements in developing countries.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Narrative Exposure Therapy as a treatment for child war survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder: Two case reports and a pilot study in an African refugee settlement
Authors
Lamaro P Onyut
Frank Neuner
Elisabeth Schauer
Verena Ertl
Michael Odenwald
Maggie Schauer
Thomas Elbert
Publication date
01-12-2005
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2005
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-5-7

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