An efficacy study of sociotherapy group intervention in the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) program in Burundi

INTERVENTION: The study will be conducted in different collines (villiages) in 7 communes spread over three provinces: Bujumbura Rural, Bubanza and Cibitoke. To avoid contamination of the intervention 15 collines (villiages) in these 7 communes are randomly allocated to the sociotherapy groups or control groups. Intervention group: Participants attend a course of 15 group sessions of the Sociotherapy Intervention (ST) over a period of 8 weeks. These sessions are guided by trained facilitators and involve group discussions, role playing, practicing the Johari window, the square of autonomy and the four‐circle model about culture in new environments technique, implementing insights about types of families, socialization, social systems, and social identity, listening and relaying the message, games and their importance, fundamental needs, emotions, the way to act in a new environment, communicating by signs (without words) and on prejudices. These 15 sessions intervention consist of 6 phases with their own objectives to reach: 1. Security/peace 2. Confidence/trust 3. Mutual care and assistance 4. Mutual respect 5. New norms 6. Discussing the experienced change by reflecting the past and present situation. All these objectives cover the following themes: 1. Having a desire/thirst to care for each other 2. Equality among the participants 3. Democracy during the sessions 4. Responsibility for the group process 5. Full participation 6. A focus on here, now and the future 7. Learning by doing to obtain and maintain change. Control group: Participants are placed on a waiting list for the duration of the study. After the study they will be offered the opportunity to undergo the sociotherapeutic intervention. Participants in both groups are followed up after 8 and 15 weeks CONDITION: The negative consequences of violations of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) on mental health, well‐being and social functioning. ; Mental and Behavioural Disorders ; Mental wellbeing PRIMARY OUTCOME: 1. Mental Health is measured using the five‐item version of the Mental Health Inventory (MHI) at baseline, 8 and 15 weeks; 2. Social Wellbeing is measured using the Subjective Wellbeing scale (SW‐4) at baseline, 8 and 15 weeks; 3. Social functioning is measured using the RAND SF‐12 at baseline, 8 and 15 weeks SECONDARY OUTCOME: 1. General Health complaints are measured using the SCL‐90‐R (items 1, 4, 12, 27, 42, 52, 56) at baseline, 8 and 15 weeks; 2. Societal changes are measured at baseline, 8 and 15 weeks using:; 2.1. The Sense of community index; 2.2. The Sense of coherence scale (SOC‐13) INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Aged 16 years and older 2. Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) ‐related problems