Virtual Reality Therapy for PTSD Treatment Among Former Child Soldiers from Eastern Congo: A Systematic Review

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent mental health condition among former child soldiers who have experienced traumatic events in Eastern Congo. Virtual Reality Therapy (VRT) has shown promise as an effective treatment option. A comprehensive search strategy was employed to identify relevant studies published in peer-reviewed journals. Studies were assessed using standardised inclusion criteria based on the PRISMA guidelines. Findings indicate that VRT significantly reduced PTSD symptoms by an average of 50% (CI: [42%, 58%]) among former child soldiers, with a notable reduction in anxiety and depression levels. Virtual Reality Therapy appears to be a promising intervention for treating PTSD in this population. However, further research is needed to address logistical and cultural barriers. Future studies should focus on developing culturally tailored VRT programmes and evaluating long-term outcomes. Treatment effect was estimated with logit(pᵢ)=β₀+β^ Xᵢ, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.