Culturally adapted cognitive behavioral therapy for Syrian refugee women in Turkey: A randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Psychological trauma Vol. 15; no. 2; p. 189
• Main Authors: Eskici, H Sevde, Hinton, Devon E, Jalal, Baland, Yurtbakan, Taylan, Acarturk, Ceren
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.02.2023
• Subjects: Anxiety - therapy; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Female; Humans; Refugees - psychology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - therapy; Syria; Turkey; Syria; Turkey
• ISSN: 1942-969X
• DOI: 10.1037/tra0001138

This study aims to determine for Syrian refugee women in Turkey the effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of culturally adapted cognitive behavioral therapy (CA-CBT). Participants were randomly allocated to receive either CA-CBT (n = 12) or treatment-as-usual (TAU; n = 11). We used the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL) to assess posttraumatic stress symptoms and anxious-depressive distress. CA-CBT was delivered through seven weekly group sessions. CA-CBT had a large effect on PTSD (HTQ d = 1.17) and nearly medium effect sizes for anxious-depressive distress (HSCL d = .40). There were also low drop-out rates and an absence of adverse events. Because CA-CBT greatly reduced PTSD symptoms as compared with TAU and had a low drop-out rate, no adverse events, and was deliverable in a short treatment frame (seven sessions) and in a group format, we conclude that the treatment is effective, acceptable, and feasible and has the potential for scalability. Clinical Impact Statement: A Syrian version of CA-CBT was effective (large effect sizes for the HTQ), feasible, and potentially scalable (easy application, conducted with trained facilitators, short-term therapy, group format), and acceptable (as evidenced by very low drop out and no adverse events). Thus, the Syrian version of CA-CBT appears to be a valuable psychological intervention for traumatized Syrian refugees, particularly given the lack of effective treatments for this group. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).