Background: Displaced victims of interpersonal violence, such as refugees, asylum seekers, and victims of sexual exploitation, are growing in numbers, and are often suffering from a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). At the same time these victims are known to benefit less from trauma-focused therapy, and to be less compliant to treatment. This paper describes the rationale and research protocol of an ongoing trial.

In this study, the feasibility and efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Daily Life (ACT-DL), ACT augmented with a daily life application, was investigated in 55 emerging adults (age 16 to 25) with subthreshold depressive and/or psychotic complaints. Participants were randomized to ACT-DL (n = 27) or to active control (n = 28), with assessments completed at pre- and post-measurement and 6- and 12-months follow-up. It took up to five (ACT-DL) and 11 (control) months to start group-based interventions. Participants attended on average 4.32 out of 5 ACT-DL sessions.

Background: Psychosis is a public health concern. There is increasing evidence suggesting trauma can play a pivotal role in the development and maintenance of psychosis. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective treatment for trauma and could be a vital addition to the treatment of psychosis.

Objective: To explore the evidence for EMDR as a treatment for psychosis, focussing on the safety, effectiveness and acceptability of this intervention for this population.

Nowadays, the PTSD diagnosis is often a prerequisite for the survivor’s access to specialized treatment services and for obtaining legal recognition or financial compensation when exposed to violence. However, some survivors do not meet all necessary criteria for the PTSD diagnosis, particularly not in the long term. Therefore, they run the risk of being misdiagnosed, inadequately helped or undertreated, and may remain legally unrecognized and unprotected.