Mind-body skills groups for war-related trauma in Gaza adolescents
Mind-body Skills Groups for the Treatment of War-Related Trauma in Adolescents in Gaza: A Randomized Controlled Study
This study will try group mind-body skills to see if they reduce PTSD symptoms and emotional and behavioral problems in 11–17-year-olds living in Gaza who experienced war trauma.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 120 (estimated) |
| Ages | 11 Years to 17 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | The Center for Mind-Body Medicine Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Deir al-Balah) |
| Trial ID | NCT07302984 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Researchers will screen adolescents in Gaza (ages 11–17) who meet a PTSD cutoff on the CPSS-5 and have experienced war-related trauma. Eligible participants will either attend five in-person mind-body skills group sessions or be assigned to a comparison group that does not attend the groups. Participants will complete questionnaires before the first session and after the last session to measure PTSD, emotional, and behavioral outcomes. The study is led by the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Deir al-Balah in collaboration with Americares.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are 11–17-year-olds living in Gaza who experienced war-related trauma and meet the CPSS-5 screening cutoff for PTSD, who have not received psychotherapy or psychiatric medication for mental disorders and who do not have significant cognitive impairment.
Not a fit: Adolescents who have had prior psychotherapy or psychiatric medication or who have significant cognitive impairment are excluded from the intervention and therefore would not receive benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could offer a low-cost, group-based way to reduce PTSD and behavioral symptoms among war-traumatized adolescents in Gaza.
How similar studies have performed: Similar group-based mind-body and trauma-focused programs have shown promise for reducing trauma symptoms in other conflict-affected or disaster-exposed youth, but evidence is limited and varies by context.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * being 11-17 years old and living in Gaza * having experienced a political violence or war-related criterion A stressor * meeting the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-(DSM-5-TR) criteria for PTSD according to the screening cut-off score on the Child PTSD Symptom Scale-5 (CPSS-5). Exclusion Criteria: * former psychotherapy or medication to treat mental disorders * having significant cognitive impairment.
Where this trial is running
Deir al-Balah
- The Center for Mind-Body Medicine — Deir al-Balah, Palestinian Territories (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Jamil A Atti, PhD
- Email: jatti@cmbm.org
- Phone: +972 (8) 288 8359
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.