ReviewBJPsych open2022
Post-traumatic stress disorder interventions for children and adolescents affected by war in low- and middle-income countries in the Middle East: systematic review.
Review in BJPsych open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 33 citations in OpenAlex.
- Brief CBT-based psychological interventions to improve mental health outcomes in refugee populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European journal of psychotraumatology · 2024Pooled it
- Transdiagnostic psychosocial interventions to promote mental health in forcibly displaced persons: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European journal of psychotraumatology · 2023Pooled it
- Randomised clinical trial investigating memory training for recovery-adolescents in addressing psychiatric concerns among adolescents in Iraq.Journal of global health · 2025Trial
- Trauma Care: Teaching Recovery Technique (TRT) to Children and Adolescent Refugees: A Systematic Review on Effectiveness.Journal of child & adolescent trauma · 2026Article
- Trauma and mental health burden of Gaza's displaced children during war: a cross-sectional study.Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health · 2026Article
- Study of the effect of post-traumatic stress disorder and comorbid disorders on the daily lives of schoolchildren aged 11 to 16 in public schools in Morocco.Health psychology report · 2026Article
- The Association Between Childhood Maltreatment and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Among Young Adults in Northern Syria.Journal of child & adolescent trauma · 2025Article
- Adolescent health research and initiatives in the occupied Palestinian territory: a scoping review.BMJ open · 2025Article
- Recovery-oriented and trauma-informed care for people with mental disorders to promote human rights and quality of mental health care: a scoping review.BMC psychiatry · 2025Article
- Mental health provision for children affected by war and armed conflicts.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2024Article
- Article
- The youth mental health crisis: analysis and solutions.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2024Review
- Training non-specialists in teaching recovery techniques (TRT) to help traumatised children in humanitarian settings: a qualitative analysis of experiences gained from 20 years of practice.International journal for equity in health · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMillions of children and adolescents are exposed to wars, affecting their psychological well-being. This review focuses on psychosocial interventions in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) in the Middle East, where mental health services are limited.
aimsOur primary aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of trial-assessed psychosocial interventions in reducing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in children and adolescents aged ≤18 years who were exposed to war in LMICs in the Middle East. Changes in other psychological conditions and symptoms were evaluated where reported.
methodPubMed, Cochrane Library and Ovid were searched without year restriction, in December 2021. Previous review reference lists were also checked. Only studies published in English were included. Each study was evaluated for risk of bias and results are presented as a narrative synthesis.
resultsThree group-based interventions were identified and evaluated across six studies: 'Teaching Recovery Techniques', 'Writing for Recovery' and 'Advancing Adolescents'. Two studies took place in post-war settings, and four in a context of ongoing conflict. Positive experiences and improved social skills were indicated following most interventions, but Teaching Recovery Techniques was the only programme associated with a statistically significant reduction in PTSD score. Differences in follow-up interval limited comparability of outcomes.
conclusionsThis review highlights a paucity of evidence for effective treatment options for children and adolescents affected by war from LMICs in the Middle East. Promising indications of reductions in PTSD symptoms, specifically from Teaching Recovery Techniques, require further rigorous evaluation and long-term follow-up.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.