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Molendijk M, Baart C, Schaffeld J, Akçakaya Z, Rönnau C, Kooistra M, de Kleine R, Strater C, Mooshammer L. Psychological Interventions for PTSD, Depression, and Anxiety in Child, Adolescent and Adult Forced Migrants: A Systematic Review and Frequentist and Bayesian Meta-Analyses. Clin Psychol Psychother 2024; 31:e3042. [PMID: 39152566 DOI: 10.1002/cpp.3042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The number of forced migrants has been rising for years. Many forced migrants suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and/or anxiety and need treatment. Here, we evaluate the effectiveness of psychological interventions (CBT, EMDR, expressive/art, mindfulness, mixed elements, NET and psychoeducation) in reducing symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety in forced migrants. DESIGN AND DATA SOURCES Systematic searches in PubMed and Web of Science and searches of preprint servers and grey literature were performed (final search date: 1 September 2023). Random-effects frequentist and Bayesian meta-analyses were used for data synthesis. RESULTS We included 84 studies on treatment effects in adults (pooled N = 6302) and 32 on children and adolescents (pooled N = 1097). Our data show a reduction in symptoms of PTSD, depression and anxiety symptoms in both adults and child/adolescent forced migrants. Pooled pre- to post-treatment effects (effect size Cohen's d) ranged from -1.03 to -0.26 for PTSD, from -0.91 to -0.11 for depression and from -0.91 to -0.60 for anxiety, without there being differences in outcome per study design (i.e., RCT comparison vs. non-RCT comparison vs. single arm treatment study). Treatment effects remained evident over follow-up, and not a single type of treatment stood out as being superior to other treatment types. Structural differences in populations (e.g., regarding country of origin) over studies, however, could have hampered the validity of the comparisons between study characteristics such as treatment type. CONCLUSION Our findings support the effectiveness of psychological treatment in adult and child/adolescent forced migrants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Molendijk
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Charlotte Baart
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Schaffeld
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Zeynep Akçakaya
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Charlotte Rönnau
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marike Kooistra
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Rianne de Kleine
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Celina Strater
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Louise Mooshammer
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Papola D, Prina E, Ceccarelli C, Cadorin C, Gastaldon C, Ferreira MC, Tol WA, van Ommeren M, Barbui C, Purgato M. Psychological and social interventions for the promotion of mental health in people living in low- and middle-income countries affected by humanitarian crises. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2024; 5:CD014300. [PMID: 38770799 PMCID: PMC11106803 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd014300.pub2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Because of wars, conflicts, persecutions, human rights violations, and humanitarian crises, about 84 million people are forcibly displaced around the world; the great majority of them live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). People living in humanitarian settings are affected by a constellation of stressors that threaten their mental health. Psychosocial interventions for people affected by humanitarian crises may be helpful to promote positive aspects of mental health, such as mental well-being, psychosocial functioning, coping, and quality of life. Previous reviews have focused on treatment and mixed promotion and prevention interventions. In this review, we focused on promotion of positive aspects of mental health. OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of psychosocial interventions aimed at promoting mental health versus control conditions (no intervention, intervention as usual, or waiting list) in people living in LMICs affected by humanitarian crises. SEARCH METHODS We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and seven other databases to January 2023. We also searched the World Health Organization's (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov to identify unpublished or ongoing studies, and checked the reference lists of relevant studies and reviews. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing psychosocial interventions versus control conditions (no intervention, intervention as usual, or waiting list) to promote positive aspects of mental health in adults and children living in LMICs affected by humanitarian crises. We excluded studies that enrolled participants based on a positive diagnosis of mental disorder (or based on a proxy of scoring above a cut-off score on a screening measure). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We used standard Cochrane methods. Our primary outcomes were mental well-being, functioning, quality of life, resilience, coping, hope, and prosocial behaviour. The secondary outcome was acceptability, defined as the number of participants who dropped out of the trial for any reason. We used GRADE to assess the certainty of evidence for the outcomes of mental well-being, functioning, and prosocial behaviour. MAIN RESULTS We included 13 RCTs with 7917 participants. Nine RCTs were conducted on children/adolescents, and four on adults. All included interventions were delivered to groups of participants, mainly by paraprofessionals. Paraprofessional is defined as an individual who is not a mental or behavioural health service professional, but works at the first stage of contact with people who are seeking mental health care. Four RCTs were carried out in Lebanon; two in India; and single RCTs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jordan, Haiti, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the occupied Palestinian Territories (oPT), Nepal, and Tanzania. The mean study duration was 18 weeks (minimum 10, maximum 32 weeks). Trials were generally funded by grants from academic institutions or non-governmental organisations. For children and adolescents, there was no clear difference between psychosocial interventions and control conditions in improving mental well-being and prosocial behaviour at study endpoint (mental well-being: standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.17 to 0.29; 3 RCTs, 3378 participants; very low-certainty evidence; prosocial behaviour: SMD -0.25, 95% CI -0.60 to 0.10; 5 RCTs, 1633 participants; low-certainty evidence), or at medium-term follow-up (mental well-being: mean difference (MD) -0.70, 95% CI -2.39 to 0.99; 1 RCT, 258 participants; prosocial behaviour: SMD -0.48, 95% CI -1.80 to 0.83; 2 RCT, 483 participants; both very low-certainty evidence). Interventions may improve functioning (MD -2.18, 95% CI -3.86 to -0.50; 1 RCT, 183 participants), with sustained effects at follow-up (MD -3.33, 95% CI -5.03 to -1.63; 1 RCT, 183 participants), but evidence is very uncertain as the data came from one RCT (both very low-certainty evidence). Psychosocial interventions may improve mental well-being slightly in adults at study endpoint (SMD -0.29, 95% CI -0.44 to -0.14; 3 RCTs, 674 participants; low-certainty evidence), but they may have little to no effect at follow-up, as the evidence is uncertain and future RCTs might either confirm or disprove this finding. No RCTs measured the outcomes of functioning and prosocial behaviour in adults. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS To date, there is scant and inconclusive randomised evidence on the potential benefits of psychological and social interventions to promote mental health in people living in LMICs affected by humanitarian crises. Confidence in the findings is hampered by the scarcity of studies included in the review, the small number of participants analysed, the risk of bias in the studies, and the substantial level of heterogeneity. Evidence on the efficacy of interventions on positive mental health outcomes is too scant to determine firm practice and policy implications. This review has identified a large gap between what is known and what still needs to be addressed in the research area of mental health promotion in humanitarian settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Papola
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Cochrane Global Mental Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eleonora Prina
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Cochrane Global Mental Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Caterina Ceccarelli
- Global Program Expert Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, SOS Children's Villages, Milan, Italy
| | - Camilla Cadorin
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Cochrane Global Mental Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Chiara Gastaldon
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Cochrane Global Mental Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Madalena C Ferreira
- Public Health Unit, Médio Ave Local Health Unit, Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal
| | - Wietse A Tol
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mark van Ommeren
- Department of Mental Health, Brain Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Corrado Barbui
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Cochrane Global Mental Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Marianna Purgato
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Cochrane Global Mental Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Dickson K, Ko SY(J, Nguyen C, Minchenko D, Bangpan M. Mental health and psychosocial support programmes for displaced populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): A systematic review of process, perspectives and experiences. Glob Ment Health (Camb) 2024; 11:e62. [PMID: 38774885 PMCID: PMC11106547 DOI: 10.1017/gmh.2024.56] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Displacement exerts an ongoing negative impact on people's mental health. The majority of displaced populations are hosted in the global south, yet there is a paucity of evidence synthesis on the implementation of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) programmes in those contexts. We undertook a systematic review of factors influencing the delivery and receipt of MHPSS programmes for displaced populations in low- and middle-income countries to address this gap. A comprehensive search of 12 bibliographic databases, 25 websites and citation checking were undertaken. Studies published in English from 2013 onwards were included if they contained evidence on the perspectives of adults or children who had engaged in, or programmes providers involved in delivering, MHPSS programmes. Fifteen studies were critically appraised and synthesised. Studies considered programme safety as a proxy for acceptability. Other acceptability themes included stigma, culture and gender. Barriers to the accessibility of MHPSS programmes included language, lack of literacy of programme recipients and location of services. To enhance success, future delivery of MHPSS programmes should address gender and cultural norms to limit mental health stigma. Attention should also be given to designing flexible programmes that take into consideration location and language barriers to ensure they maximise accessibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Dickson
- The Evidence for Policy and Practice information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre), Social Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sum Yue (Jessica) Ko
- The Evidence for Policy and Practice information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre), Social Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Celine Nguyen
- The Evidence for Policy and Practice information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre), Social Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
- Southwestern Medical School, University of Texas, Dallas, TX75390, USA
| | - Dayana Minchenko
- The Evidence for Policy and Practice information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre), Social Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mukdarut Bangpan
- The Evidence for Policy and Practice information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre), Social Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
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Ceccarelli C, Prina E, Alkasaby M, Cadorin C, Gandhi Y, Cristofalo D, Abujamei Y, Muneghina O, Barbui C, Jordans MJD, Purgato M. Implementation outcomes in psychosocial intervention studies for children and adolescents living in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review. Clin Psychol Rev 2024; 107:102371. [PMID: 38118259 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2023.102371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Psychosocial interventions play a key role in addressing mental health and substance use needs for children and adolescents living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). While research efforts have primarily focused on their effectiveness, implementation outcomes also require examining. We conducted a systematic review of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies (PROSPERO: CRD42022335997) to synthesize the literature on implementation outcomes for psychosocial interventions for children and adolescents in LMICs. We searched Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, Web of Science, PsychINFO, and Global Health through April 2023. Data were extracted and quality appraised through the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) independently by two reviewers. A total of 13,380 records were screened, and 87 studies met inclusion criteria. Feasibility was the most reported implementation outcome (69, 79%), followed by acceptability (60, 69%), and fidelity (32, 37%). Appropriateness was assessed in 11 studies (13%), implementation costs in 10 (11%), and sustainability in one (1%). None of the included studies reported on penetration or adoption. Despite a growing body of evidence for implementation research in child and adolescent global mental health, most research focused on earlier-stage implementation outcomes, assessing them in research-controlled settings. To overcome this, future efforts should focus on assessing interventions in routine care, assessing later-stage implementation outcomes through standardized tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Ceccarelli
- Global Program Expert Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, SOS Children's Villages, Milan, Italy.
| | - Eleonora Prina
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Muhammad Alkasaby
- Centre for Global Mental Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Camilla Cadorin
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Yashi Gandhi
- Addictions and related-Research Group, Sangath, Goa, India
| | - Doriana Cristofalo
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Yasser Abujamei
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Orso Muneghina
- Global Program Expert Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, SOS Children's Villages, Milan, Italy
| | - Corrado Barbui
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; Cochrane Global Mental Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Mark J D Jordans
- War Child, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; IoPPN, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Marianna Purgato
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; Cochrane Global Mental Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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5
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Arega NT. Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Interventions for Children Affected by Armed Conflict in low-and middle-income Countries: A Systematic Review. CHILD & YOUTH CARE FORUM 2023:1-26. [PMID: 37360764 PMCID: PMC9990564 DOI: 10.1007/s10566-023-09741-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Background . Armed conflicts continue to threaten a vast number of children across the world, especially in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Evidence-based interventions are vital to adequately address the mental health needs in these groups. Objective . This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive update of the most current developments in mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) interventions for children affected by armed conflict in LMICs, since 2016. Such an update may be useful in determining where the current focus of interventions lies and whether there are changes in types of interventions that are commonly implemented. Methods . The main medical, psychological and social sciences databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Medline) were searched to identify interventions aimed at improving or treating mental health problems in conflict-affected children in LMICs. For the period 2016-2022, a total of 1243 records were identified. Twenty-three articles met the inclusion criteria. A bio-ecological lens was used to organize the interventions and the presentation of findings. Results . Seventeen forms of MHPSS interventions with a wide range of treatment modalities were identified in this review. The reviewed articles focused mainly on family-based interventions. Very few studies empirically evaluated community-level interventions. Conclusion . Current focus of interventions is family-based; the addition of caregiver wellbeing and parenting skills components had the potential to enhance the effects of interventions designed to improve children's mental health. Future trials for MHPSS interventions need to give more attention to community-level interventions. Community-level supports such as person-to-person support, solidarity groups, and dialogue groups stand to reach large numbers of children and families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natnael Terefe Arega
- PhD in Applied Developmental Psychology, Institute of Education and Behavioral Sciences, Ambo University, Ambo, Ethiopia
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6
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Brown FL, Taha K, Steen F, Kane J, Gillman A, Aoun M, Malik A, Bryant R, Sijbrandij M, El Chammay R, Servili C, van Ommeren M, Akhtar A, Zoghbi E, Jordans MJD. Feasibility randomised controlled trial of the Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions psychological intervention with young adolescents in Lebanon. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:131. [PMID: 36858980 PMCID: PMC9979451 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04571-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Globally, there is a vast mental health treatment gap, whereby the majority of adolescents living in low- and middle-income countries requiring mental health services, do not have access to adequate care. To improve access, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed a range of interventions, designed to be low-cost and delivered by non-specialists. We conducted a two-arm, individually randomised group treatment feasibility trial of a new WHO group intervention for young adolescents with emotional distress ('Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions'; EASE) in Lebanon. METHOD The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of the intervention and study procedures. Adolescents aged 10 to 14 years were eligible to take part if they scored above a validated cut-off on the Child Psychosocial Distress Screener. Participants were randomized to EASE or enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU) control using a 1:1 ratio. EASE consisted of seven group sessions with adolescents and three sessions with caregivers. ETAU consisted of a single brief psychoeducation home visit. Child and caregiver outcomes were measured by blind assessors at baseline, endline (8 weeks post-randomisation), and three month follow-up (20 weeks post-randomisation), with the primary outcome measure being child psychological symptoms on the Pediatric Symptom Checklist. Qualitative interviews were conducted with adolescents (n = 13), caregivers (n = 17), facilitators (n = 6), trainers (n = 3), and outreach staff (n = 1) at endline to assess barriers and facilitators related to the feasibility and delivery of EASE and study procedures. RESULTS Of 154 adolescents screened, 67 (43%) were eligible, completed baseline, and were randomized. Sixty adolescents (90%) completed endline assessments (31 EASE, 29 ETAU), and fifty-nine (88%) completed three-month assessments (29 EASE, 30 ETAU). Qualitatively, participants provided overall positive feedback about the intervention. Several challenges and suggestions for improvement were raised around logistics, intervention content, and acceptability of assessment measures. Implementation data highlighted challenges with intervention uptake and attendance. Outcome measures generally had strong psychometric properties (range: α = 0.77 to α = 87), however did not demonstrate change over time in either group. CONCLUSIONS The EASE intervention and study procedures are acceptable and feasible for implementation with vulnerable adolescents in Lebanon, however several improvements are necessary prior to full-scale evaluation. TRIAL REGISTRATION #ISRCTN60799626, retrospectively registered on 04/10/2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felicity L Brown
- Research and Development Department, War Child Holland, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Karine Taha
- Research and Development Department, War Child Holland, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,War Child Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Frederik Steen
- Research and Development Department, War Child Holland, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jeremy Kane
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | | | - May Aoun
- Research and Development Department, War Child Holland, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,War Child Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Aiysha Malik
- Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Richard Bryant
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Marit Sijbrandij
- Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rabih El Chammay
- Ministry of Public Health, Beirut, Lebanon.,Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Chiara Servili
- Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mark van Ommeren
- Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Aemal Akhtar
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | - Mark J D Jordans
- Research and Development Department, War Child Holland, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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7
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Cowling MM, Anderson JR. The effectiveness of therapeutic interventions on psychological distress in refugee children: A systematic review. J Clin Psychol 2023. [PMID: 36634291 DOI: 10.1002/jclp.23479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To systematically review existing research exploring the effectiveness of psychological interventions in reducing symptoms of distress amongst refugee and asylum-seeker children. METHOD Six databases were searched to identify English studies presenting original empirical quantitative data (published before September 2022) testing the efficacy of psychological interventions for children from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds. Quality of studies were assessed through the Appraisal Tool for Cross-Sectional Studies as well as the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Relevant data were extracted to facilitate a narrative synthesis. RESULTS Seventy-one eligible articles were identified (n > 10,000). A number of cognitive-behavioral, psychosocial, and trauma-focused interventions that catered specifically to children and their families were identified. A synthesis of these results suggest that interventions may assist in the reduction of various psychopathologies, although the effects were mixed across intervention types. CONCLUSIONS While the review yielded promising findings, most findings were derived from small pilot and empirical studies, leading to difficulties with drawing conclusions. There remains a need for studies using more rigorous research methodologies to expand and ratify this valuable knowledge base. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Forced displacement is at an all-time high. Many children are being forced to seek asylum and refuge, and they become vulnerable to the development of poor mental health, with limited understanding surrounding how to appropriately intervene. This review aims to equip clinicians with increased knowledge and confidence in working therapeutically alongside clients from refugee or asylum-seeking background, with the goal of fostering positive mental health and wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misha M Cowling
- School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joel R Anderson
- School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia.,Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health, & Society, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
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8
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Bryant RA, Malik A, Aqel IS, Ghatasheh M, Habashneh R, Dawson KS, Watts S, Jordans MJD, Brown FL, van Ommeren M, Akhtar A. Effectiveness of a brief group behavioural intervention on psychological distress in young adolescent Syrian refugees: A randomised controlled trial. PLoS Med 2022; 19:e1004046. [PMID: 35960704 PMCID: PMC9374250 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Millions of young adolescents in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) affected by humanitarian crises experience elevated rates of poor mental health. There is a need for scalable programs that can improve the mental health of young adolescents. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a nonspecialist delivered group-based intervention (Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions (EASE)) to improve young adolescents' mental health. METHODS AND FINDINGS In this single-blind, parallel, controlled trial, Syrian refugees aged 10 to 14 years in Jordan were identified through screening of psychological distress as defined by scores ≥15 on the Paediatric Symptom Scale. Participants were randomised to either EASE or enhanced usual care (EUC) involving referral to local psychosocial services (on a 1:1.6 ratio). Participants were aware of treatment allocation but assessors were blinded. Primary outcomes were scores on the Paediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC; internalising, externalising, and attentional difficulty scales) assessed at week 0, 9 weeks, and 3 months after treatment (primary outcome time point). It was hypothesised that EASE would result in greater reductions on internalising symptoms than EUC. Secondary outcomes were depression, posttraumatic stress, well-being, functioning, school belongingness, and caregivers' parenting and mental health. Between June 2019 and January 2020, 1,842 young adolescent refugees were screened for eligibility on the basis of psychological distress. There were 520 adolescents (28.2%) who screened positive, of whom 471 (90.6%) agreed to enter the trial. Overall, 185 were assigned to EASE and 286 to EUC, and 169 and 254 were retained at 3 months for EASE and EUC, respectively. Intent-to-treat analyses indicated that at 3 months, EASE resulted in greater reduction on the PSC-internalising scale than EUC (estimated mean difference 0.69, 95% CI 0.19 to 1.19; p = 0.007; effect size, 0.38) but there were no differences for PSC-externalising (estimated mean difference 0.24, 95% CI -0.43 to 0.91; p = 0.49; effect size, -0.10), PSC-attentional problem (estimated mean difference -0.01, 95% CI -0.51 to 0.54; p = 0.97; effect size, -0.01) scores, or on depression, posttraumatic stress, well-being, functioning, or school belongingness. Relative to EUC, caregivers in EASE had less psychological distress (estimated mean difference 1.95, 95% CI 0.71 to 3.19; p = 0.002) and inconsistent disciplinary parenting (mean difference 1.54, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.05; p < 0.001). Secondary analyses that (a) focused on adolescents with probable internalising disorders; (b) completed the 3-month assessment; and (c) controlled for trauma exposure did not alter the primary results. Mediation analysis indicated that for caregivers in the EASE condition, reduction in inconsistent disciplinary parenting was associated with reduced attentional (β = 0.11, SE 0.07; 95% CI 0.003, 0.274) and internalising (β = 0.11, SE 0.07; 95% CI 0.003, 0.274) problems in their children. No adverse events were attributable to the intervention. A limitation was that EUC was not matched to EASE in terms of facilitator attention or group involvement. CONCLUSIONS EASE led to reduced internalising problems in young refugee adolescents and was associated with reduced distress and less inconsistent disciplinary parenting in caregivers. This intervention has the potential as a scalable intervention to mitigate young adolescents' emotional difficulties in LMIC. TRIAL REGISTRATION Prospectively registered at Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12619000341123.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A. Bryant
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Brain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
| | - Aiysha Malik
- Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Maha Ghatasheh
- Institute for Family Health, King Hussein Foundation, Amman, Jordan
| | - Rand Habashneh
- Institute for Family Health, King Hussein Foundation, Amman, Jordan
| | - Katie S. Dawson
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sarah Watts
- Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mark J. D. Jordans
- Research and Development Department, War Child Holland, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Felicity L. Brown
- Research and Development Department, War Child Holland, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Mark van Ommeren
- Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Aemal Akhtar
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Hamdani SU, Huma ZE, Tamizuddin-Nizami A, Baneen UU, Suleman N, Javed H, Malik A, Wang D, Mazhar S, Khan SA, Minhas FA, Rahman A. Feasibility and acceptability of a multicomponent, group psychological intervention for adolescents with psychosocial distress in public schools of Pakistan: a feasibility cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT). Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2022; 16:47. [PMID: 35729589 PMCID: PMC9210054 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-022-00480-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Child and adolescent mental health problems are a global public mental health priority. However, there is a lack of evidence-based scalable psychological interventions for adolescents living in low resource settings. This trial was designed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of delivering the World Health Organization's Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions (EASE) intervention at public schools in a rural sub-district in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. METHODS A two arm, single blinded, feasibility cluster randomized controlled trial with mixed-methods evaluation was conducted with 59 adolescents and their caregivers from 8 public schools. In the 4 intervention arm schools, 6 non-specialist facilitators delivered the culturally-adapted EASE group sessions to the adolescents (n = 29) and their caregivers with desired fidelity under the supervision of in-country supervisors. RESULTS The participation rate of adolescents in the intervention sessions was 83%. The intervention strategies were implemented by the adolescents. However, attending biweekly sessions at schools was challenging for caregivers with only 50% caregivers attending the sessions. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study support the feasibility and acceptability of delivering this culturally adapted intervention through non-specialist facilitators in school settings in Pakistan and pave the way to conduct a fully powered cluster randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of intervention to improve psychological outcomes in adolescents. Trial registration Trial registered with Clinicaltrials.gov prospectively; NCT04254393.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Usman Hamdani
- Human Development Research Foundation (HDRF), Islamabad, Pakistan. .,Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. .,Global Institute of Human Development, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, Pakistan. .,Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Institute of Psychiatry, Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
| | - Zill-e Huma
- grid.490844.5Human Development Research Foundation (HDRF), Islamabad, Pakistan ,grid.10025.360000 0004 1936 8470Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK ,grid.419158.00000 0004 4660 5224Global Institute of Human Development, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Asad Tamizuddin-Nizami
- grid.415712.40000 0004 0401 3757Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Institute of Psychiatry, Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Um-ul Baneen
- grid.490844.5Human Development Research Foundation (HDRF), Islamabad, Pakistan ,grid.419158.00000 0004 4660 5224Global Institute of Human Development, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Nadia Suleman
- grid.490844.5Human Development Research Foundation (HDRF), Islamabad, Pakistan ,grid.419158.00000 0004 4660 5224Global Institute of Human Development, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Hashim Javed
- grid.490844.5Human Development Research Foundation (HDRF), Islamabad, Pakistan ,grid.419158.00000 0004 4660 5224Global Institute of Human Development, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Duolao Wang
- grid.48004.380000 0004 1936 9764Global Health Trials Unit, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Samra Mazhar
- Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Shahzad Alam Khan
- grid.475671.6World Health Organization (WHO), Pakistan Office, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Fareed Aslam Minhas
- grid.419158.00000 0004 4660 5224Global Institute of Human Development, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Atif Rahman
- grid.10025.360000 0004 1936 8470Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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