A recent study testing Multifamily Healing Spaces (MFHS), a new psychological intervention approach for families, has shown strong effectiveness in resolving intrafamily conflicts, enhancing communication and problem-solving skills, and building family cohesion and resilience. The intervention also addresses the intergenerational trauma through parent-child dialogues and promotes positive parenting.

The study, a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) conducted between April and September 2023, assessed MFHS, a group-based psychosocial tool designed to help families confront historical traumas, improve communication, and resolve conflicts through healing dialogues. MFHS blends home-grown solutions with international best practices, tailored to the Rwandan context.

The MFHS approach was introduced as part of the societal healing programme titled “Reinforcing Community Capacity for Social Cohesion and Reconciliation through Societal Trauma Healing in Rwanda,” jointly implemented by Interpeace and local partners—Prison Fellowship Rwanda, Dignity in Detention, and Haguruka—in collaboration with the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE) and the Ministry of Health via the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC). The programme is funded by the Government of Sweden.

The Genocide against the Tutsi, three decades ago, not only devastated individuals but also shattered family structures and the fabric of family life in Rwanda. Families continue to grapple with the trauma of the genocide and its aftermath, compounded by the intergenerational transmission of genocide-related legacies, which has become a significant societal challenge. This is further exacerbated by social pressures as Rwanda strives for socioeconomic development, aiming to become a middle-income country by 2035 and a high-income country by 2050.

For Rwanda to achieve sustainable peace and development, it must prioritise healthy families, as they are the foundation of society. Yet, many families still face challenges that undermine cohesion and development. According to the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) Citizen Scorecard report 2023, family conflict is the top challenge to family cohesion (22.3%), followed by extramarital affairs (17.2%), psychological violence (16.1%), and economic violence (14.4%). Additional issues include physical violence (8.8%) and juvenile delinquency (8.4%).

The 2023 RGB Citizen Scorecard report identifies alcohol abuse as the leading cause of family dysfunction (85.4%), followed by poor communication between family members (81.3%) and poor parenting (58.9%). These problems negatively impact family members' mental well-being, pushing some toward substance abuse, which further hinders their participation in economic activities, ultimately leading to poor livelihoods.

The Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) was conducted with the aim to develop and evaluate a family-based intervention promoting a multisystemic approach to resilience at personal, family, and community levels, with three key objectives: strengthening family resilience, facilitating personal transformation, and restoring community trust.

A total of 95 families (283 individuals: 136 males, 147 females) from Nyagatare, Ngoma, Nyamagabe, Nyabihu, and Musanze participated. These families included genocide survivors, genocide perpetrators, ex-combatants, and returnees, all coming from disharmonious families. They were divided into 20 groups: 9 treatment groups (146 participants) and 11 control groups (137 participants). Parents and children in treatment groups participated in 18 weeks of healing dialogues in a group setting, followed by six weeks of follow-up, while the control group was placed on a waiting list. Groups were established in their communities and facilitated by two well-trained Community Dialogue Facilitators, selected from their community and whom they trust. Post-intervention data from both groups were compared with baseline data to measure the treatment's impact.

The findings revealed that MFHS significantly enhanced family resilience, with improvements in family belief systems, communication, problem-solving skills, and organizational patterns. Families in the treatment groups demonstrated a more constructive approach to deal with challenges, showcasing stronger teamwork and mutual support compared to the control group.

Regarding partner dynamics, the intervention positively affected collaboration and relationship among couples in the treatment group, reflecting improved happiness and satisfaction within the family. Couples as both partners and parents acquired social and emotional management skills which enabled them to address existing conflicts, and strengthen bonds, and develop strategies for handling future conflicts and challenges.   

“I felt traumatized by the violence of my husband, as he used to beat me almost every day. I had no rights to the family property and was treated like a maid. In this group, we learned to discuss and resolve our problems as a family. He even acknowledged his misdeeds and apologised to me. I can’t imagine what would have happened if we hadn’t joined the multifamily healing dialogues,” said a participant from Nyabihu District. She added that her husband has since changed, becoming a caring husband and father who now consults her before making decisions.

The intervention also promoted positive parenting, with those in the treatment group reporting higher levels of authoritative-democratic and authoritative-warm parenting styles, which prioritise guidance and involvement of children compared to the control group, who continued to adopt authoritarian style where parents are extremely rigid and use tough rules and punishments to control their children. Through parent-child sessions, families engaged in open discussions about daily life, historical trauma, and the history of the Genocide against the Tutsi, leading to a shared vision for the future.

The findings also reveal that the intervention had additional positive impacts beyond the expected results. Families in the treatment groups significantly improved their livelihoods by learning to better manage family resources and work together toward shared goals.