Thought Field Therapy as a Tool for Delivering Relief Services to Survivors of Violent Conflict in Uganda
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Purpose
Thought Field Therapy (TFT) is a simple technique that involves tapping on points of the body corresponding to the meridians used in acupuncture. By using specific sequences, TFT can be used to treat a variety of psychological problems. Patients can be taught to treat themselves, and lay people can be trained to treat others in their community, as has been shown for narrative exposure therapy.
Thought Field Therapy has been used to treat whole communities who have suffered psychological trauma following natural disasters and violent conflicts. In these circumstances, TFT can be used as a stand-alone therapy, or as an adjunct to other psychological therapies, by removing the pain of re-living the traumatic events.
Studies in Rwanda have shown that individuals within a community can be treated with brief TFT sessions. Both short-term and longer-term improvements in scores of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) measurement scales have been demonstrated.
The Kasese District has suffered from factional conflicts and the consequences of the ongoing struggles in neighbouring countries for many years. Although the government has controlled the situation and secured the borders, many are still haunted by the psychological consequences.
The purpose of the study is to validate the model of addressing widespread psychological trauma following conflict by training community leaders to help others in their community using TFT.
Thirty-six community leaders will be given a two-day training in algorithm level trauma-relief TFT. They will then treat 128 volunteers for their traumas, using TFT, who will be assessed before and after treatment by the post-traumatic stress disorder check-list questionnaire for civilians (PCL-C). As a control, a further 128 volunteers will join a wait-list group, who will be assessed at the same time, but treated later.
PCL-C scores before and after treatment will be compared with the wait-list group scores before and after waiting, but before their treatment.
| Condition | Intervention |
|---|---|
|
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder |
Behavioral: Thought Field Therapy. |
| Study Type: | Interventional |
| Study Design: | Allocation: Randomized Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver) Primary Purpose: Treatment |
| Official Title: | Thought Field Therapy as a Tool for Delivering Relief Services to Survivors of Violent Conflict in Uganda |
- Change in Post-traumatic stress disorder Check List for Civilians (PLC-C) score. [ Time Frame: Baseline, and one week later. ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
In the treatment arm, measure immediately pre-treatment (baseline) and one week later.
In the wait-list arm, measure at baseline, and after one week (no treatment).
| Enrollment: | 256 |
| Study Start Date: | June 2012 |
| Study Completion Date: | July 2012 |
| Primary Completion Date: | July 2012 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure) |
| Arms | Assigned Interventions |
|---|---|
|
Experimental: Thought Field Therapy
Thought Field Therapy delivered by trained community leaders.
|
Behavioral: Thought Field Therapy.
Thought Field Therapy is a meridian based therapy, where clients tap on specific parts of their body, according to a particular protocol. This does not obliterate the memory of the trauma, but relieves the associated distress.
|
|
Wait list
Delayed intervention. No intervention prior to assessment after one week (pre-test 2). Then treated with Thought Field Therapy, and re-assessed after a further week (post-test). |
Behavioral: Thought Field Therapy.
Thought Field Therapy is a meridian based therapy, where clients tap on specific parts of their body, according to a particular protocol. This does not obliterate the memory of the trauma, but relieves the associated distress.
|
Show Detailed Description Eligibility| Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older |
| Genders Eligible for Study: | Both |
| Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Volunteers recruited from local communities, who feel that they are suffering from psychological trauma.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Minimum age
Contacts and Locations| Uganda | |
| St Augustine's Catechist Training Centre, PO Box 155 | |
| Kasese, Uganda | |
| Principal Investigator: | Robert H Robson, MA MB BChir | Thought Field Therapy Foundation (UK) Ltd |
More Information
Additional Information:
Publications:
| Responsible Party: | Robert Howard Robson, Dr Robert Howard Robson, Thought Field Therapy Foundation (UK) Ltd |
| ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01681628 History of Changes |
| Other Study ID Numbers: | Uganda2012 |
| Study First Received: | September 2, 2012 |
| Last Updated: | September 5, 2012 |
| Health Authority: | Uganda: National Council for Science and Technology |
Keywords provided by Thought Field Therapy Foundation (UK) Ltd:
|
Thought Field Therapy. Post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder check list for Civilians. |
Uganda Ugandan therapists. Community treatment. |
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
|
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders, Traumatic Anxiety Disorders Mental Disorders |
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on June 18, 2013