On the efficacy of Narrative Exposure Therapy

Abstract

In their review article, Mundt et al. (2014), ‘Evaluating interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder in lowandmiddle income countries:Narrative ExposureTherapy’ , (Intervention, this issue) evaluated Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) asan example ofa short-term treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder that is applied in low and middle income, post con£ict settings.They concluded that it is premature to recommend NETas a treatment approach. In this response, the clinicians and researchers who developedNETargue that the paper by Mundt et al. does not correctly represent the rationale of NETand that the methodological critique of theNETtrials in the article is biased. Compared to other types of psychotherapy and psychosocial interventions in post con£ict settings, the evidence base of NET is strong, and the application of NETwithin a sustainable mental healthcare system can be recommended.