Problem Management Plus Adapted for Group Use to Improve Mental Health in a War-Affected Population in the Central African Republic

A large number of the population in the Central African Republic has been exposed to potentially traumatic events as a result of the last conflict, which has led to the breakdown of social ties. In response to this situation, the nongovernmental organisation, Action contre la Faim, proposed a multisectoral project aimed at helping internally displaced persons to find an income-generating activity and offer psychosocial support through the adaptation of the Problem Management Plus protocol. A total of 946 IDPs in the country’s capital participated in the group intervention led by a team of paraprofessionals.

Data collected from 111 participants showed that after 5 weeks of intervention, there was a significant reduction in posttraumatic symptoms and functional impairment. These results were confirmed during the postintervention evaluation 4 weeks later. In addition, participants declared that they had observed effects in their ability to live together in the community and in regaining a certain level of social cohesion. This experience gives encouraging results with regard to the feasibility and replicability of the adapted group protocol, taking into account specific cultural and contextual adaptations.