Addressing Heightened Levels of Aggression in Traumatized Offenders With Psychotherapeutic Means

NCT02992561 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: FORNET1617
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 402
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Heightened levels of aggression are fuelling violent incidents at all levels, especially in post-war regions. Narrative Exposure Therapy for Forensic Offender Rehabilitation (FORNET) aims to address trauma symptoms along with reactive and instrumental/appetitive aggression to encounter the downward cycle of perpetration and enforce a sustainable (re-)integration into civil life. In the present study, the investigators provide an adapted version of FORNET to former combatants in the North Kivu, Eastern DR Congo. Structured baseline, 3 and 6 month follow up interviews will be administered to assess the main outcome measures recent violent acts and appetitive aggression.

Conditions

Appetitive Aggression

Keywords

Aggression; Violence; Post-conflict reconstruction; Demobilization; Traumatized offenders

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Appetitive aggression (sumscore; 0-60 indicating higher levels)

  Appetitive Aggression Scale (Weierstall \& Ebert, 2011)

  Change from baseline to 3-5 and 6-9 months post treatment

• Current violent behavior (sumscore; 0-96 indicating more acts)

  A list of violent offenses perpetrated during the last 3 months (formerly used in Burundi; Crombach/Augsburger/Nandi)

  Change from baseline to 3-5 and 6-9 months post treatment

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• PSS-I: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (sumscore, 0-80 indicating higher severity)

  Change from baseline to 3-5 and 6-9 months post treatment

Other Outcomes (4)

• Social acknowledgement (0-45 indicating more social acknowledgment)

  Change from baseline to 3-5 and 6-9 months post treatment

• Depression (0-27 indicating higher severity)

  Change from baseline to 3-5 and 6-9 months post treatment

• Substance use problems

  Change from baseline to 3-5 and 6-9 months post treatment

Study Arms (2)

Narrative Exposure Therapy (FORNET, adapted version)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Version of Narrative Exposure Therapy for Forensic Offender Rehabilitation including one lifeline session and 5 exposure sessions as well as 6 group sessions adapted from behavioral-therapy approaches for addiction problems.

Behavioral: FORNET (adapted version)

Waitlist control or treatment as usual

NO INTERVENTION

No intervention or non-specific measures of support on request

Interventions

FORNET (adapted version) BEHAVIORAL

Also known as: Narrative Exposure Therapy for Forensic Offender Rehabilitation (adapted version)

Narrative Exposure Therapy (FORNET, adapted version)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 16 Years - 80 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• PTSD diagnosis or AAS sum score of 22 or higher

You may not qualify if:

• Acute intoxification (alcohol or other drugs)
• Acute psychotic symptoms
• Sign of cerebro-organic diseases

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Konstanz: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Konstanz

Konstanz, Baden-Wurttemberg, 78464, Germany

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Carleial S, Natt D, Unternahrer E, Elbert T, Robjant K, Wilker S, Vukojevic V, Kolassa IT, Zeller AC, Koebach A. DNA methylation changes following narrative exposure therapy in a randomized controlled trial with female former child soldiers. Sci Rep. 2021 Sep 16;11(1):18493. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-98067-9.

  PMID: 34531495 DERIVED

• Koebach A, Carleial S, Elbert T, Schmitt S, Robjant K. Treating trauma and aggression with narrative exposure therapy in former child and adult soldiers: A randomized controlled trial in Eastern DR Congo. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2021 Mar;89(3):143-155. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000632.

  PMID: 33829803 DERIVED

• Robjant K, Koebach A, Schmitt S, Chibashimba A, Carleial S, Elbert T. The treatment of posttraumatic stress symptoms and aggression in female former child soldiers using adapted Narrative Exposure therapy - a RCT in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Behav Res Ther. 2019 Dec;123:103482. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2019.103482. Epub 2019 Sep 27.

  PMID: 31639529 DERIVED

Related Links

• Results for the group of female former child soldiers

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Aggression

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Aberrant Motor Behavior in Dementia; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Social Behavior

Study Officials

• Anke Köbach, PI

  University of Konstanz

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Postdoctoral Researcher

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 6, 2016
• First Posted: December 14, 2016
• Study Start: September 1, 2016
• Primary Completion: March 1, 2019
• Study Completion: March 1, 2019
• Last Updated: August 4, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

DE (1)