Many refugees suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to various kinds of trauma. Brief, effective, and tolerable interventions are needed to improve patients’ quality of life. Imagery Rescripting (ImRs) is a brief and innovative intervention that does not comprise exposure to the trauma memory and has been demonstrated to be very effective for PTSD in a pilot study with refugees (Arntz et al., 2013) and in the treatment of PTSD in general (Arntz, 2012; Holmes et al., 2007). It is the aim of the project “ReScript” to evaluate the efficacy of outpatient culturally adapted ImRs. The randomized-controlled trial compares ImRs with Usual Care and Treatment Advice (UC+TA) in a sample of refugees suffering from PTSD. The trial is conducted at four sites (Frankfurt, Marburg, München, Münster). The recruitment of patients has now been completed.

Ninety patients who entered Germany as a refugee and who receive a diagnosis of PTSD were  included in the study. ImRs consists of ten sessions within ten weeks of manualized treatment. Trauma memory is first reactivated by asking the patient to imagine the beginning of traumatic experiences. The patient is then asked to imagine an intervention changing the course of events in a helpful way, e.g. disempowering the attacker, getting saved from the situation, or providing support and comfort to the past self.

Participants in the UC+TA condition were informed about the health care system and referred to institutions of public mental health care. Referral was made through a standardized information leaflet.

Symptoms of PTSD and general mental health are assessed before treatments begins, immediately after treatment, and three and 12 months post-treatment with the help of clinical interviews and self-report instruments. PTSD remission rate is the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes are severity of PTSD symptoms, improvement of general psychiatric symptoms, dissociation, quality of sleep, general functioning, and satisfaction with treatment.