Tahereh Orang1, Sarah Ayoughi1, James K Moran2, Hakimeh Ghaffari3, Saeedeh Mostafavi4, Maryam Rasoulian5, Thomas Elbert1. 1. Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany. 2. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. 3. Department of Psychology, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran. 4. Department of Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. 5. Mental Health Research Center, Psychiatry Department, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The mental health needs of women affected by intimate partner violence (IPV) and living under continuous domestic violence are currently not well understood. The present study investigates the feasibility and efficacy of narrative exposure therapy (NET), compared with commonly used counselling (treatment-as-usual, TAU), in a group of currently IPV-affected women in Tehran, Iran. METHOD: Forty-five IPV-affected women with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were randomized to 10 to 12 sessions of either NET (n = 24) or TAU (n = 21). Primary outcome measures, including PTSD, depression, and perceived stress symptoms, were examined at pretreatment and 3- and 6-month follow-ups. IPV experiences, general lifetime traumatic events, childhood adversities, borderline symptoms, and daily functioning impairment were also inspected. RESULTS: NET participants showed a significantly greater symptom reduction in comparison with the TAU group in PTSD, depression, and perceived stress at both follow-ups. Improvement in daily functioning and reduction of IPV experiences and borderline symptoms at 3- and 6-month follow-ups were pronounced but not significantly different between the two treatment groups. CONCLUSION: IPV-affected women living under continuous threat and violence would benefit from trauma-focused interventions such as NET.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: The mental health needs of women affected by intimate partner violence (IPV) and living under continuous domestic violence are currently not well understood. The present study investigates the feasibility and efficacy of narrative exposure therapy (NET), compared with commonly used counselling (treatment-as-usual, TAU), in a group of currently IPV-affected women in Tehran, Iran. METHOD: Forty-five IPV-affected women with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were randomized to 10 to 12 sessions of either NET (n = 24) or TAU (n = 21). Primary outcome measures, including PTSD, depression, and perceived stress symptoms, were examined at pretreatment and 3- and 6-month follow-ups. IPV experiences, general lifetime traumatic events, childhood adversities, borderline symptoms, and daily functioning impairment were also inspected. RESULTS: NET participants showed a significantly greater symptom reduction in comparison with the TAU group in PTSD, depression, and perceived stress at both follow-ups. Improvement in daily functioning and reduction of IPV experiences and borderline symptoms at 3- and 6-month follow-ups were pronounced but not significantly different between the two treatment groups. CONCLUSION: IPV-affected women living under continuous threat and violence would benefit from trauma-focused interventions such as NET.
Authors: M Claire Greene; Susan Rees; Samuel Likindikoki; Ann G Bonz; Amy Joscelyne; Debra Kaysen; Reginald D V Nixon; Tasiana Njau; Marian T A Tankink; Agnes Tiwari; Peter Ventevogel; Jessie K K Mbwambo; Wietse A Tol Journal: Confl Health Date: 2019-08-17 Impact factor: 2.723