Creative arts in psychotherapy for traumatized children in South Africa: An evaluation study.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

To evaluate the feasibility and effect of a 10-session creative arts in psychotherapy group programme on posttraumatic stress symptoms, behavioural problems, and posttraumatic growth, in children who experienced a traumatic event.

Design

A multicentre non-randomized controlled trial with a treatment and a control condition conducted in South Africa (4 sites).

Methods

125 children aged 7 to 13 years were assigned either to the treatment condition receiving creative arts in psychotherapy or a control condition with a low-level supportive programme without treatment. Attrition rates were 63.4% and in total 47 children completed the programme and questionnaires assessing posttraumatic stress, posttraumatic growth and behaviour problems both at baseline and follow-up;

SUBMITTER: van Westrhenen N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6374007 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature