Narrative Exposure Therapy Study for PTSD Among the Homeless Population

The purpose of this study is to assess the acceptability and feasibility of delivering Narrative Exposure Therapy to homeless individuals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This includes assessing the feasibility of recruiting sufficient numbers of participants, conducting a randomized trial in the shelter system and achieving adequate participant follow-up rates. Study procedures will take place at shelters served by the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre's Psychiatric Outreach Team and Inner City Health, which are: The Shepherds of Good Hope, The Salvation Army, The Mission, Cornerstone Housing for Women, and other locations served by The Royal Ottawa's Psychiatric Outreach Team and Inner City Health. Homeless individuals who meet criteria for PTSD will be offered, in addition to usual care, six sessions of Narrative Exposure Therapy either with or without the option of receiving services from a genealogist to supplement the process of exploring their life narrative. A total of 24 participants will be recruited into this study and will be randomized in a 1:1 allocation. At the start of their involvement in the study, participants randomized to receive genealogical services will be provided with the option to access services from a professional genealogist, to trace their family history. Participants will be made aware of the fact that new family information will be revealed through this process, and also be informed of the standard methods that will be used to extract this information which could involve research through publicly available historical records or voluntary DNA testing. The primary outcomes for this study are acceptability - the investigators would deem the interventions acceptable if 50% of people approached consented to be randomized; and feasibility - the investigators would deem the study feasible if the planned sample size was recruited over a period of six months. Secondary outcomes include changes from baseline on relevant rating scales of symptoms, housing status, quality of life; and follow-up of participants three months from enrollment. This study will inform mental health treatment of this chronically underserved population.