Syrian Refugee Young Adults as Community Mental Health Workers-Lebanon
NCT ID: NCT05265611
Last Updated: 2025-12-29
Study Results
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Basic Information
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COMPLETED
NA
115 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2023-03-11
2025-03-25
Brief Summary
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Detailed Description
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Humanitarian crises increase mental health disorders; and 'normal' distress and psychological reactions affect a large percentage of the population. Yet, human resources for health are often insufficient to meet needs. Understanding the capacities of YYA to support communities in the context of disasters has been noted as a research imperative. Globally, task-sharing interventions train non-professional lay community members to provide mental health care. As one example, Problem Management Plus (PM+) trains community mental health workers (CMHW) and is effective in humanitarian settings for common mental disorders and other problems that emerge in response to crises.
The investigators propose to engage Syrian refugee young adults (YA) - aged 18-24 years, as YA CMHW, to implement PM+ with at-risk adults (18+ years) in their communities. The Syrian refugee crises, one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history, provides a relevant setting to implement this project. Lebanon hosts \~1.5 million Syrian refugees, and about 60% of Syrian refugees aged 15-24 years are not employed, and not in school. The Specific Aims are:
Aim 1: Assess the effectiveness of being a YA-CMHW on their wellbeing, coping, and stress levels; as compared to (i) an active comparator group of Syrian refugee peers providing tutoring services; and (ii) a group of Syrian refugee peers that receives no intervention.
Aim 2: Identify the mechanisms associated with changes in wellbeing, coping, and stress. The conceptual model describes links between the intervention, the mechanisms, and outcomes.
Aim 3: Evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and fidelity of Syrian refugee YA as CMHW implementing PM+ with clients.
Results will (a) elucidate critical mechanisms through which engagement of YYA to support their community enhances their own wellbeing; (b) inform research around humanitarian/refugee settings, mental health, and Y-CMHW interventions; and (c) provide a robust basis for a follow-up study via a larger RCT.
Conditions
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Keywords
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
PREVENTION
SINGLE
Study Groups
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Young Adult Community Mental Health Worker
Syrian refugee young adults will be trained to implement Problem Management Plus (PM+): a WHO evidence-based low intensity mental health intervention to Syrian refugee adults in their community. They will complete 4 surveys to measure outcomes and mechanisms.
low intensity psychosocial intervention - Problem Management Plus (PM+)
Syrian refugee young adults will be trained to implement Problem Management Plus (PM+). PM+ is a low-intensity mental health intervention, developed by WHO, and delivered by non-specialized CMHW. It is a transdiagnostic treatment approach that includes four evidence-based problem solving and behavioral treatment techniques: managing stress, managing problems, get going/get doing, and social support. These strategies are implemented over five weekly sessions, of 90 minutes each.
Young Adult Tutors
Syrian refugee young adults will be trained to tutor elementary school students in their community.They will complete 4 surveys to measure outcomes and mechanisms.
Tutoring
Young adults will be trained to tutor students in elementary school.
Young Adut Control Group
Syrian refugee young adults in the control group will only complete the surveys. They will complete 4 surveys to measure outcomes and mechanisms.
No interventions assigned to this group
Interventions
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low intensity psychosocial intervention - Problem Management Plus (PM+)
Syrian refugee young adults will be trained to implement Problem Management Plus (PM+). PM+ is a low-intensity mental health intervention, developed by WHO, and delivered by non-specialized CMHW. It is a transdiagnostic treatment approach that includes four evidence-based problem solving and behavioral treatment techniques: managing stress, managing problems, get going/get doing, and social support. These strategies are implemented over five weekly sessions, of 90 minutes each.
Tutoring
Young adults will be trained to tutor students in elementary school.
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
2. 18-24 years
3. have completed high school
4. at the time of screening, live in one of the 3 catchment areas of the field-based NGO partner (MAPs) in the Bekaa region of Lebanon
5. have been involved in NGOs or service to their community'
6. motivation to be a Community Mental Health Worker
18 Years
24 Years
ALL
Yes
Sponsors
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Rema Afifi
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Rema Afifi
Professor
Principal Investigators
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Rima A Afifi, PhD
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
University of Iowa College of Public Health
Locations
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American University of Beirut, Faculty of Health Sciences
Beirut, , Lebanon
Countries
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References
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Nakkash R, Ghandour L, Brown G, Panter-Brick C, Bomar H, Tleis M, Al Masri H, Fares M, Al Halabi F, Najjar Y, Louis B, Hodroj M, Chamoun Y, Zarzour M, Afifi RA. Syrian refugee young adults as community mental health workers implementing problem management plus: Protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial to measure the mechanisms of effect on their own wellbeing, stress and coping. Contemp Clin Trials Commun. 2024 Jun 28;40:101325. doi: 10.1016/j.conctc.2024.101325. eCollection 2024 Aug.
Ghandour L, Brown G, Tleis M, Al Masri H, Fares M, Al Halabi F, Najjar Y, Louis B, Afifi RA, Nakkash R. Structural and political determinants of health among Syrian refugee young adults in the Bekaa, Lebanon: a prospective cohort study of the impact of security raids on perceived discrimination and well-being. BMJ Open. 2024 Dec 5;14(12):e087777. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-087777.
Nakkash R, Fares M, Tleis M, Mugharbil A, Antaby M, Al Masri H, Ghandour L, Al Halabi F, Najjar Y, Louis B, Afifi RA. (2024). Power Sharing in Community-Engaged Research with Syrian Refugees in Lebanon: Using community engagement to shape Intervention Fit to Context. Social Science and Medicine, Mental Health; 6(4): 100358, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2024.100358.
Other Identifiers
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202107337
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id