Kvinnor I Väntan

The purpose of the study is to examine whether the group therapy, KIV (Kvinnor i Väntan ‘Women waiting’) improved the mental health and the symptoms of PTSD for six female asylum seekers. The hypothesis for the investigation was that the participation in the group therapy would lead to improved mental health and decrease of PTSD symptoms. The experimental group was compared to a control-group constituting of 17 female asylum-seekers that did not participate in the group therapy. The first screening with the instruments GHQ-28 and IES-22 was undertaken before start of the group therapy, while the second screening was undertaken after the end of the group therapy about three months later. The values decreased significantly for all variables in the total group. In the experiment group the variables GHQ-28 social dysfunction and IES-22 intrusion showed a significant decrease. No significant difference could be observed between the experimental group and the control group, neither before nor after the treatment. Thus, there is no support for the hypothesis. The outcome can be explained by factors, which however are beyond scope of the measures. The relevance and importance of these factors are discussed: the fact that the number of participants was too low, the role and capacity of the interpreter, the attitude to health care among participants and specific stress factors in connection with pre-migration and migration