Multifamily Healing Spaces for Family Resilience in Rwanda (NCT07621705) | Clinical Trial Compass
CompletedNot Applicable
Multifamily Healing Spaces for Family Resilience in Rwanda
Rwanda319 participantsStarted 2023-04-28
Plain-language summary
This cluster-randomized waitlist-control trial evaluated Multifamily Healing Spaces (MFHS), a culturally adapted behavioral family intervention for genocide-affected communities in Rwanda. Community members across five districts were screened through a staged triage process. Individuals with acute or severe clinical concerns were routed to clinical referral, those with individual mental-health needs were prioritized for Resilience-Oriented Therapy, and families were invited to MFHS when at least one screened family member met criteria for family communication difficulties. Twenty eligible clusters were randomly selected and then allocated to MFHS or waitlist control. The baseline cohort included 319 family members aged 12 years or older. The trial tested whether MFHS improved family resilience, parenting, couple and youth family-system outcomes, and secondary mental health, psychosocial, community, and livelihood outcomes from baseline to immediate post-intervention endline.
Who can participate
Age range
12 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Member of a family living in or connected to a selected MFHS-eligible cluster/cell in one of the five study districts in Rwanda.
* Aged 12 years or older.
* Family invited because at least one screened family member met the staged MFHS criterion for family communication difficulties after higher-priority clinical and individual mental-health triage.
* Able and willing to participate in baseline assessment and, if allocated to MFHS, family/group sessions.
* Written informed consent, assent, and/or caregiver permission obtained according to age and local ethics requirements.
Exclusion Criteria:
* Individuals with suicidality, psychosis, or severe substance-use flags were routed for clinical interview or hospital referral rather than MFHS as first-line allocation.
* Individuals meeting higher-priority individual mental-health criteria were routed to Resilience-Oriented Therapy before the MFHS screening stage.
* Individuals or families unable to provide consent/assent or safely participate in group family sessions were not enrolled.
* Remaining individuals with social-conflict indicators after earlier stages were routed to sociotherapy rather than MFHS.
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Change in Family Resilience
Timeframe: Baseline to immediate post-intervention endline, up to 5 months
2
Change in Parenting Practices
Timeframe: Baseline to immediate post-intervention endline, up to 5 months
3
Change in Parent Couple Functioning
Timeframe: Baseline to immediate post-intervention endline, up to 5 months
4
Change in Youth Family-System Functioning
Timeframe: Baseline to immediate post-intervention endline, up to 5 months