Journal Article

Evaluating effects of community-based social healing model on Ubuntu, mental health and psychosocial functioning in post-genocide Rwanda: protocol for cluster randomized control trial

Gerbarg, Patricia, Nsengiyumva, Alice, Niyonsenga, Japhet, Brown, Richard P., Jansen, Stefan, Niyonzima, Jean Bosco, Nsabimana, Epaphrodite

2024

Overview

Background The community-based social healing (CBSH) model, developed by Ubuntu Centre for Peace, aims to support individuals with traumatic experiences and mental health challenges in achieving better mental health. CBSH combines BREATH-BODY-MIND™ (BBM) practices with collective narrative and rituals, facilitated by Community Healing Assistants in therapeutic groups. A previous pilot study involving 1889 Rwandan CBSH participants showed significant mental health improvements, including reductions in depression, anxiety, and PTSD, along with enhanced work productivity, and decreased intimate partner violence. The trial investigates the CBSH model’s impact on Ubuntu and mental health. Ubuntu, a concept that encompasses humanness, compassion, and interconnectedness, is deeply rooted in the African philosophy. Methods/design This cluster randomized controlled trial will involve 54 villages randomly selected in the Kirehe district, with 1080 participants randomly allocated equally to the CBSH intervention or a wait-list control group. While the trial will be conducted at the village (cluster) level, both primary and secondary outcomes will be measured individually for participants within each cluster. The Primary outcome “Ubuntu” will be measured using a context-adapted Ubuntu measurement scale. Secondary outcomes include psychosocial indicators which will be assessed through standardized tools such as the Patient Health Questionnaire for depression (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing scale (WEMWS), Connor-Davidson Resilience scale (CD-RISK-10), Somatic Symptom Severity Scale (PHQ-15), Revised Conflict Tactics scale (CTS2S), and Adapted Social Capital Assessment Tool (SASCAT). Conclusion This trial aims to evaluate the CBSH model’s impacts on Ubuntu, mental health, and social functioning among trauma-affected Rwandans, including those impacted by the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, mass killings, sexual abuse, and domestic violence. The findings could be of value to the Ubuntu Centre for Peace, policymakers, healthcare practitioners, and other stakeholders, by highlighting the significance of promoting Ubuntu as a foundation for addressing mental health challenges and the consequences of psychosocial trauma. Trial registration ISRCTN ISRCTN17659369. Registered on February 09, 2024.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Adult / Analysis / Anxiety / Biomedicine / Community-based / Cooperation / Culture / Domestic violence / Emotional regulation / Emotions / Family violence / Female / Genocide / Genocide - psychology / Health aspects / Health Sciences / Health surveys / Humans / Influence / Intervention / Male / Massacres / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Mental depression / Mental disorders / Mental Health / Mind–body / Neurophysiology / Philosophy / Post traumatic stress disorder / Post-traumatic stress / Psychic trauma / Psychological aspects / Psychosocial Functioning / Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Resilience (Psychology) / Rites, ceremonies and celebrations / Rwanda / Sexual abuse / Social capital / Social healing / Social media / Statistics for Life Sciences / Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology / Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - therapy / Time Factors / Trauma / Treatment Outcome / Ubuntu