Relevance and Feasibility of Group Traumatic Episode Protocol Delivered to Migrants: A Pilot Field Study

Abstract

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) are commonly observed in migrants. Although Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) can be helpful to treat these diseases, it remains difficult to propose EMDR as an individual intervention in help-seeking migrants. Group EMDR, like Group Traumatic Episode Protocol (G-TEP), which was built around the 8 phases of the original EMDR protocol, could offer an effective treatment to a large number of people. It may also be more resource-efficient to provide psychiatric care to migrants. In this open-label trial, the feasibility and the effectiveness of a 6-session G-TEP intervention was investigated in a group of 10 migrants. The intervention was well tolerated by participants. The final attrition rate was 10%. After the intervention, there was a 28.2% significant decrease in PTSD and complex PTSD symptoms, as measured by the International Trauma Questionnaires (total_ITQ) scores (p = 0.013) and a trend towards a significant decrease in MDD symptoms, as measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) (p = 0.057). G-TEP may be effective in decreasing PTSD symptoms in migrants. The accessibility, low-cost, and very structured features of G-TEP may make its implementation sustainable in the field of psychiatric care for migrants.