Research Title: Healing through Talking: Increasing Post-SGBV Counselling Attendance for Improved Mental Health Outcomes
Donor: Fund Marleen Temmerman
Research Duration: Sep 2025 to 2027
The main objective of this implementation research is to implement 3 interventions to determine how the interventions change/increase counselling session completion rates. The three interventions are:
- The standard of care for GBV counselling sessions post a physical assault
- Group therapy/counselling (with 6-8 survivors per cohort, clustered according to age and sex) was offered after routine counselling for those interested
- Hybrid in-person (1st visit) and virtual (following visits) counselling for those who have missed appointments.
This study uses an adaptive intervention design without randomization to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured psychosocial support (PSS) counselling intervention at increasing survivor counselling session completion rates for survivors at GBVRC. This design will have the intervention components (standard of care, hybrid virtual and group sessions) introduced alone or in combination, and adapted over time based on participant engagement, retention, and feasibility. Each of these interventions seeks to transform service delivery by introducing needs-based approaches that acknowledge survivors’ diverse circumstances.
Additionally, we will assess the effectiveness of virtual sessions as a secondary outcome using an exploratory approach, as historical data shows that most of the survivors are below 17 years of age, which may result in constraints on providing informed consent and assessing/ownership of mobile phones. ICRH-Belgium, which has developed online counselling sessions and content on psychoeducation related to sexual violence, will assist in designing the hybrid model. With the rise of telemedicine in Kenya, we are doing this now to ensure those who are most marginalized do not get left behind is key.
Partnerships/Collaboration
Coast General Teaching & Referral Hospital, County Government of Mombasa, and ICRH Belgium
