Brief multi-disciplinary treatment for torture survivors in Nepal: a naturalistic comparative study
Abstract
Background: Little is known about the effectiveness of treatment for torture survivors in low-income settings. Multi-disciplinary treatment is an often used approach for this target group. Aims: This study was aimed at examining the effectiveness of brief multi-disciplinary treatment for torture survivors in Nepal. Methods: A naturalistic comparative design with help-seeking torture survivors and internally displaced persons assigned to a treatment and a comparison group respectively ( n = 192; treatment group n = 111, comparison group n = 81), with baseline measurements on psychiatric symptomatology, disability, and functioning and a five-month follow-up ( n = 107; treatment group n = 62; comparison group n = 45), was employed. Intervention consisted of brief psychosocial services, minimal medical services and/or legal assistance. Results: Study groups were generally comparable and non-completers did not significantly differ from completers. The treatment group improved more than the comparison group on somatic symptoms, subjective well-being, disability and functioning, with mostly moderate effect sizes. Conclusion: Treatment was moderately effective, with regards to reducing the nonspecific mental health consequences of torture, but disability scores remained high. For clients presenting with more severe mental health problems, other treatments that are realistic in the resource-poor Nepali context need to be sought.
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In Nepal, torture survivors receiving a multidisciplinary programme (medical care, counselling, and legal services) improved more in general functioning and somatic symptoms than those offered psychoeducation, but PTSD, anxiety, and depressive symptoms did not improve.
“In Nepal, measures of general functioning and somatic symptoms improved more in torture survivors receiving a multidisciplinary programme (medical care, counselling, and legal services) than in a group offered psychoeducation sessions, but no improvement of PTSD, anxiety, and depressive symptoms was reported.”
From Mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings: linking practice and research (2011) · cites this paper as [77]
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Tol, W. A., Komproe, I. H., Jordans, M. J. D., Thapa, S. B., Sharma, B., & De Jong, J. T. V. M.
- Affiliations
- HealthNet TPO (NL)
- University of Oslo (NO)
- Centre for Victims of Torture, Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
- Vrije University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, GGD Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Boston University, School of Medicine, United States of America
- Corresponding author
- Tol, Wietse A.
- Venue
- International Journal of Social Psychiatry
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2009-01
- Volume
- 55
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 39-56
- ISSN
- 0020-7640 (ISSN-L)
- 1741-2854
- OpenAlex
- W2142768375
- Cited by
- 41
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 4.59
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Social Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (publishedVersion)
- Amsterdam UMC (VU Amsterdam) - Institutional Repository (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Digital Academic REpository of VU University Amsterdam (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) (submittedVersion)
- Pure Amsterdam UMC (submittedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- World Bank Group
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Migration, Health and Trauma
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Torture, Ethics, and Law
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Keywords
- torture survivors, brief psychosocial intervention, internally displaced persons, post-traumatic stress disorder, somatic symptoms, disability, functioning, subjective well-being, low-income settings, Nepal, treatment effectiveness
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Demography, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Nepal, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Patient Care Team, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Torture, Survivors, Young Adult
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