Implementing Narrative Exposure Therapy for unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors with post-traumatic stress disorder: A pilot feasibility report

Abstract

There are high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors (UAM) and there is a requirement for feasible, acceptable and evidence-based treatments. Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) is a short-term treatment for PTSD following multiple traumatic events. This article aims to examine the applicability of NET for UAM in routine clinical practice and to provide preliminary feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness data. The participants were four UAM receiving NET within a dedicated child and adolescent mental health service for refugee children. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand the acceptability of this approach and standardised measures of PTSD were used to provide preliminary data regarding the effectiveness of NET for these clients. The clients attended NET consistently with few missed appointments. At post-treatment, two clients’ symptom scores were below the clinical cut-off for PTSD and all three clients who completed NET met reliable improvement criteria. The clients reported improvements in functional outcomes and mentioned that they would encourage other young people with similar difficulties to engage in NET. This study was limited by the small sample size and naturalistic time limitations in clinicians’ contracts. This article highlights that it is possible to implement NET within routine clinical practice and observed improvements in PTSD symptoms and functional outcomes for UAM.