MORE than 20 per cent of South African children have symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and urgently need treatment.
Researchers at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) at Stellenbosch University (SU) are studying new avenues of providing this essential psychological treatment in a violent society with a high exposure to trauma such as that of South Africa.
This research has particular significance during Child Protection Week, commemorated from 27 May to 2 June, during which the focus is placed on the well-being of children.
In a study undertaken in South Africa, 14,5 per cent of adolescents met the criteria for PTSD. An additional 10,3 per cent of adolescents met partial criteria for PTSD, but were still functionally impaired.
The FMHS study examines how children and teenagers who have experienced a traumatic event and developed PTSD, can potentially be counselled by registered nurses trained by an expert.
“We hope our study can help increase access to much-needed support for adolescents with PTSD in a developing country such as South Africa,” said principal researcher Jaco Rossouw.
Symptoms include avoidance behaviour, flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event. Often teenagers with PTSD want to avoid talking about it, because it causes such intense emotions.
The study investigates the effectiveness of trauma treatment provided by registered nurses, trained by an expert, to socio-economically deprived adolescents in high schools in Cape Town. “This treatment, if proven successful, could help to significantly improve community access to specialised mental health services,” Rossouw said.
The study focuses on teenagers who were either exposed to trauma such as physical or sexual assault, or have witnessed sexual or physical assault or a violent death.
The counsellors attended a three-day training workshop on prolonged exposure therapy. They were also trained in supporting counselling for a day and had to complete 16 hours of practical training.
Thus far the results have been encouraging, Rossouw said. The teenagers who received prolonged exposure therapy maintained their gains after the treatment, whereas the gains of the group who received supportive counselling were not sustainable.
“The pilot feasibility study suggests that prolonged exposure therapy can be administered by previously inexperienced counsellors in a South African context.”
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