Dataset Information

Long-term effects of psychotherapy in a context of continuous community and gang violence: changes in aggressive attitude in high-risk South African adolescents.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Post-traumatic stress but also aggressive attitudes and behaviour can be found in adolescents living in a context of ongoing community and gang violence in the low-income urban areas of Cape Town, South Africa.

Aims

We investigated the long-term effects (15-20 months after therapy) of (a) Narrative Exposure Therapy for Forensic Offender Rehabilitation (FORNET) and (b) the cognitive behavioural intervention 'Thinking for a Change' (CBT) on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and aggression compared with a waiting list.

Method

Fifty-four young males participated in the treatment trial, of which 17 completed the FORNET intervention, 11 the CBT intervention, and 26 were on a waiting list. The primary outcome was the change score for the Appetitive Aggression Scale; secondary outcomes were the PTSD Symptom Scale-Interview change scores, and the number of perpetrated violent event types.

Results

The reduction in scores for PTSD that had been observed in FORNET completers at the first follow-up were still significant at the second long-term follow-up (Cohen's d = 0.86). In this treatment arm (FORNET), the scores for appetitive aggression were also significantly reduced (Cohen's d = 1.00). There were no significant changes observed for CBT or for the waiting list.

Conclusions

The study indicates that FORNET can successfully reduce post-traumatic stress as well as the attraction to violence even for individuals living under conditions of continuous traumatic stress.

SUBMITTER: Hinsberger M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7035953 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Long-term effects of psychotherapy in a context of continuous community and gang violence: changes in aggressive attitude in high-risk South African adolescents.

Hinsberger Martina M Holtzhausen Leon L Sommer Jessica J Kaminer Debra D Elbert Thomas T Seedat Soraya S Augsburger Mareike M Schauer Maggie M Weierstall Roland R

Behavioural and cognitive psychotherapy 20190531 1

<h4>Background</h4>Post-traumatic stress but also aggressive attitudes and behaviour can be found in adolescents living in a context of ongoing community and gang violence in the low-income urban areas of Cape Town, South Africa.<h4>Aims</h4>We investigated the long-term effects (15-20 months after therapy) of (a) Narrative Exposure Therapy for Forensic Offender Rehabilitation (FORNET) and (b) the cognitive behavioural intervention 'Thinking for a Change' (CBT) on post-traumatic stress disorder ...[more]

PMID: 31148534

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Dataset Information

Long-term effects of psychotherapy in a context of continuous community and gang violence: changes in aggressive attitude in high-risk South African adolescents.

Background

Aims

Method

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Long-term effects of psychotherapy in a context of continuous community and gang violence: changes in aggressive attitude in high-risk South African adolescents.

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