Evaluating a Culturally Tailored #Digital Storytelling Intervention to Improve Trauma Awareness in Conflict-Affected Eastern Congo: Quasi-Experimental Pilot Study
Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly prevalent in conflict-affected regions like eastern Democratic Republic of Congo; yet, cultural stigma and lack of psychoeducation limit public understanding and help-seeking behaviors. Objective: This study evaluates the effect of a short, culturally adapted animated video on #MentalHealth perception, knowledge, and attitudes toward trauma. Methods: A community-based quasi-experimental pre-post design was implemented among 239 participants from South Kivu. The intervention involved viewing a 3-minute animated psychoeducational video portraying locally relevant PTSD symptoms and resilience strategies. Perception, knowledge, and attitude scores were measured before and after the intervention, alongside PTSD prevalence and video #Appreciation. Results: Out of 239, 40% (n=96) of the participants screened positively for PTSD. Post intervention, significant improvements were observed in perception (P=.01), knowledge (P
