Assessment of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Treatment of PTSD among LGBTQ Individuals in Selected Support Groups in Kenya | Chapter 11 | Medicine and Medical Research: New Perspectives Vol. 3

 

The present study highlights the efficacy of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy in Treating PTSD among LGBTQ Individuals in Selected Support Groups in Kenya. There is prospective evidence that virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET), a digitally aided psychotherapy, can effectively lessen the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the meantime, empirical research has shown that PTSD prevalence estimates for LGBTQ+ people reach up to 48%, significantly higher than those for the general population, suggesting that they are more likely to experience the disorder.  The study adopted a quasi-experimental design as an empirical interventional study to estimate and establish a cause-and-effect relationship between an independent and dependent variable without random assignment. This study is intervention research using a quasi-experimental research design to collect data from 60 LGBTQ+ individuals in selected support groups in Kenya. The samples of 60 LGBTQ+ individuals were screened positive for PTSD symptoms, using the post-traumatic stress disorder checklist (PCL-5). The recruited participants were assigned to two research groups namely, experimental (N = 30), and control (N = 30) groups. Participants in the experimental group were treated with VRET, whereas participants in the control group did not go through VRET protocols. Participants were assessed at baseline, midline and a 3-month follow-up assessment at end line. The results from the independent sample t-test showed that VRET was effective in the treatment of PTSD (p = 0.042). The partial Eta Square effect size of (\(\eta\)2= 0.080; p = 0.042) at the end line is an indication that VRET has a medium effect size. VRET is effective to treat PTSD among LGBTQ+ individuals. For clinical psychologists working among this population who might be presenting with PTSD symptoms, VRET is a potential and effective intervention that could be used to help this population.

Author(s) Details

Carolyne Mbeneka
Department of Clinical Psychology, Daystar University, Nairobi, Kenya.

 

Alice Munene
Department of Clinical Psychology, Daystar University, Nairobi, Kenya.

 

Abraham Waithima
Department of Clinical Psychology, Daystar University, Nairobi, Kenya.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mmrnp/v3/56

‘ASPIRE’ Strategies for Strengthening Adolescents’ Sexual and Reproductive Health Role Modelling | Book Publisher International

This book presents strategies for adolescents' sexual and reproductive health role modelling developed using the Adapting Strategies for Promoting Implementation Research and Equity (ASPIRE) process, which focuses on  adapting equity-explicit implementation strategies. To improve conceptual clarity and application, this book acknowledges the distinction between mentors, peers, and role models. However, in this context, peers and mentors are regarded as individuals involved in role modelling. Peers are similar in age or status and engage with one another and exchange experiences to influence one another. Mentors offer deliberate, ongoing advice and assistance, usually in a more mutually beneficial and structured relationship. Moreover, role models are frequently admired and whose actions, principles, or accomplishments provide examples for others to follow; these include peers and mentors. Adaptation of strategy and guidelines is an effective process in research that can be used to adjust existing methods, programmes, practices, strategies, or procedures to make them more suitable for use with a certain target demographic or within a specific context. This method was used to develop novel strategies for adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health role modelling because of the paucity of literature and research regarding role modelling in sexual and reproductive health. The adaptation of strategies was aided by the findings from a scoping review and the findings from an empirical study about adolescents' sexual and reproductive health role modelling. The Three-step ASPIRE process for Adapting Equity-Explicit Implementation Strategies guided the adaptation process. The ASPIRE process aims at adapting strategies to explicitly consider their impact on disparities, gaps, and outcomes. This book recommends strategies that role models such as parents, teachers, health professionals, peers, media personalities and community members should be integrated into the promotion of adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health. Health professionals should engage parents and caregivers as sexual and reproductive health role models for adolescents. Encourage parents to have honest, nonjudgmental discussions with their children about relationships, sexual health, and reproductive rights. In addition to reducing misinformation among adolescents, this can promote trust. Encourage the use of peer role modelling through peer education programmes, social media campaigns and youth-driven projects. Using the ASPIRE process to create context-specific strategies, this book provides a thorough method for improving the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents through role modelling. These strategies give parents, peers, teachers, health professionals, and community members a useful framework for working together to create a fair, informed, and healthy environment for adolescents. Ultimately, this approach promotes inclusive and sustainable health outcomes by bridging the gap in the literature and practice about role modelling in adolescent sexual and reproductive health.

 

Contribution: This book will introduce role modelling as an effective strategy to address adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health challenges. It initiates the development of policies and programmes that use role modelling as a tool to promote sexual and reproductive health among adolescents.

 

Author (s) Details

Dr. Tshiamo Nerville Ramalepa
Nursing Department, School of Healthcare Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa.

 

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-93-49970-27-4