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Volume 20, Issue 7 (Suppl)

J Psychiatry

ISSN: 2378-5756 JOP, an open access journal

Psychiatry and Mental Health 2017

November 20-21, 2017

November 20-21, 2017 Melbourne, Australia

28

th

International Conference on

Psychiatry and Mental Health

Narrative exposure therapy as an intervention to promote resiliency in refugee children and youth

with PTSD

Anne Mantini

1

, Nazilla Khanlou

2

and Morton Beiser

1

1

St. Michael’s Hospital, Canada

2

York University, Canada

Statement of the Problem:

Refugee children and youth have among the highest rates of PTSD in the world and they make up

over half of the population of refugees. Growing evidence suggests that promotion of resiliency is an important component to

improvement of symptoms and optimal adaptation.

Purpose:

This study examined the efficacy of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) treatment, on symptom patterns and

development of resiliency, for children and youth with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) compared with untreated children

in a Wait List Control group (WLC) participating in a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT). Measures of behavior and adaptive

development were also utilized. Follow up evaluations were repeated at 3, 6 and 12 months after completion of a course of NET.

Methodology &Theoretical Orientation:

300 refugee children and youth (7-25 years of age) with a DSM-V diagnosis of PTSD

were randomly assigned to weekly NET sessions (8-12) or the WLC group. The UCLA-PTSD trauma history and reaction

index were used to evaluate their symptoms and outcome while measures of behavior, resiliency, post-traumatic growth and

adaptation are also administered at regular intervals.

Findings:

Significant benefits were realized from the course of NET sessions. Scores from clinical symptoms declined

immediately during the course of NET sessions while the PTSD growth and resiliency increased significantly compared to

baseline and in relation to the control group. At each post-intervention evaluation point, up to twelve months, refugee children

and youth demonstrated benefits through resiliency, positive growth and improved PTSD symptoms.

Conclusions:

This is the first reported study to show benefits gained in resiliency from treatment of PTSD with NET among

refugee children and youth. Given the high prevalence of PTSD in refugee children and youth, intervention that addresses

clinical symptoms and supports resiliency and post-traumatic growth is essential.

mantinia@smh.ca

J Psychiatry 2017, 20:7 (Suppl)

DOI: 10.4172/2378-5756-C1-030