Table 1 Characteristics of included studies
Authors, year | Setting | Design | Study conditions | Participants (at baseline) | Outcomes assessed | Quality assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lekskes, Van Hooren & De Beus [36] | Liberia | Non-randomized controlled trial (mixed methods) | (1) individual and group counseling; (2) support groups and skills training; (3) waitlisted control | N = 66; 100% female; 68% survived sexual violence; average 34 years | Harvard Trauma Questionnaire; observation, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions | 12 out of 27 |
Bolton [37] | DRC | Pre-, posttest, no control (mixed methods) | Diverse psychosocial and economic interventions | N = 240; 100% female; survived sexual and gender-based violence; average 35 years | Locally developed questionnaire, including questions on functioning and psychological difficulties (fear and anxiety; ill treatment, shame and stigma; depressive symptoms) | 15 out of 27 |
Hustache et al. [38] | Republic of Congo | Pre-, posttest, no control (quantitative) | Medical care and psychological support | N = 178; help-seeking women > 15 years, raped by unknown person in military clothes | Global Assessment of Functioning (pre- and post-test, n = 56); DSM-IV diagnosis (pre-test only, n = 159); Trauma Screening Questionnaire (post-test only, n = 64); locally developed psychological symptom checklist (post-test only, n = 64) | 14 out of 27 |
Plester, [39] | Albania | Pre-, posttest, no control (quantitative) | Group counseling, individual sessions where necessary | N = 39; 100% female; 1 group politically persecuted, 1 group from slum areas, 1 group female-headed households; average 43 years | Screen for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms; Brief Symptom Inventory; locally developed empowerment questionnaire | 12 out of 27 |
Ager et al. [40] | Sierra Leone | Retrospective cohort with matched comparison group (mixed methods) | Psychosocial interventions, including traditional healing, medical services, skills-training, micro-credit loans, and community awareness raising | N = 142; 100% female; former combatants; age range 17 – 25 years | Locally developed structured interviews focused on six community integration indicators | 16 out of 27 |
Vickers [41] | UK | Single case study | Cognitive behavioral therapy | Female refugee from Africa (country NR); rape survivor; 14 years | Post-Traumatic Diagnosis Scale (pre-test, session 6, 8, 10, 15, 16) | NA |
Schulz, Marovic-Johnson & Huber [42] | USA | Single case study | Cognitive behavioral therapy (cognitive processing therapy); anti-depressant | Female Bosnian refugee; repeated sexual and physical violence and rape survivor; 64 years | Pre-, during (two months), and end of treatment assessment using clinical diagnosis; PTSD Symptom Scale; and functioning | NA |