Study Results
The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.
Basic Information
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COMPLETED
NA
40 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2025-06-20
2025-09-20
Brief Summary
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This pilot, which builds on a previous needs assessment, will deliver the SH+ intervention through five two-hour sessions, supplemented by a cash transfer of USD 300 or equal amount in Turkish Lira per participant (USD 60 or equal amount in Turkish Lira after each session) to 40 Afghan asylum-seeking women in Türkiye.
The study will test the feasibility, acceptability, and practicality of the combined SH+ and cash transfer intervention and evaluate its effectiveness in addressing the mental health needs of forcibly displaced individuals through a two-arm randomized trial. The first group will receive SH+ and cash transfer simultaneously, and the second group will receive the cash transfer at the same time as the first group then receive the SH+ intervention after a 3-month delay.
Our local partners in Türkiye are the Afghan Refugees Solidarity Association (ARSA) and Boğaziçi University. We have already obtained IRB approval from Boğaziçi University.
Detailed Description
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At the end of the screening questionnaire, eligible participants will receive a written consent form in both English and Dari. Qualified participants will also be provided with an informational presentation about the study and given a week to review the consent form carefully. Recruitment will continue until 40 eligible participants have provided consent.
Following the screening and consent process, 40 eligible participants will be randomized to two arms according to the 1:1 principle with automatized randomization software.
Group 1 (Receiving SH+ and cash transfer simultaneously):
Participants will complete the baseline assessment 1 week before the intervention. They will then participate in 5 weekly 2-hour SH+ session in person at ARSA in a private conference room. With each session, they will receive a $60 or equal amount in Turkish Lira in cash transfer. The program will be delivered by bilingual community facilitators who have completed a 3-day training on SH+ by WHO-certified SH+ trainers. Each session will follow the SH+ manual and the SH+ illustrated guide.
Childcare will be provided in a separate child-friendly room in ARSA during the sessions to remove barriers to participation and ensure that participants can participate in the sessions without concerns about their children's safety and well-being.
One week after the completion of the sessions, participants will complete the post-assessment, consisting of the same questionnaires used in the baseline assessment in addition to the measures related to implementation outcomes.
Group 2 (Receiving SH+ followed by cash transfer with a 3 month delay):
Participants will complete the baseline assessment 1 week before Group 1 begins their simultaneous intervention. While Group 1 is receiving their intervention, participants in Group 2 will receive a $60 or equal amount in Turkish Lira in cash transfer every week for 5 weeks. One week after the completion of Group 1's sessions, participants in Group 2 will complete the post-assessment, consisting of the same questionnaires used in the baseline assessment but without the implementation outcome measures.
After 3 months, participants in Group 2 will receive the SH+ intervention at ARSA (5 weeks, one 2-hour session per week, delivered by bilingual trained community facilitators, childcare provided at ARSA). One week after the completion of Group 2's sessions, participants in Group 2 will complete the full post-assessment, consisting of the same questionnaires used in the baseline assessment in addition to the measures related to implementation outcomes.
Supervision for facilitators will be provided by Zeynep Ilkkursun, a clinical psychologist in Türkiye. However, sessions will not be observed or recorded, and fidelity will be checked through conversations during the supervision sessions.
Additionally, semi-structured interviews will be conducted with the Afghan refugees who received the SH+ and the community members who were trained to deliver the intervention to get feedback on the content and clarity. Results will allow the study team to evaluate and understand the appropriateness and clarity of the procedures.
Conditions
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Keywords
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
One week after completing the intervention sessions, all participants-including those in the control group-will undergo post-intervention assessments, using the same questionnaires administered at baseline.
To ensure ethical considerations and promote equity, the SH+ intervention will be offered to control group participants three months after the post-assessment.
TREATMENT
SINGLE
Study Groups
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Experimental: SH+ and cash assistance
SH+: Self-Help Plus (SH+) is a five-session stress management program developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for groups of up to 30 participants. It is facilitated by non-specialists who undergo brief training and use pre-recorded audio along with an illustrated guide, Doing What Matters in Times of Stress, to teach stress management techniques. Designed for adults experiencing stress, SH+ is adaptable to diverse living situations and circumstances. Research has demonstrated its effectiveness in alleviating psychological distress and preventing the onset of mental health disorders. Its flexible format makes it an excellent complement to other mental health interventions, whether as an initial step in a stepped care approach or as a community-based program integrated with broader community initiatives.
Cash Assistance: A cash transfer of $300 or equal amount in Turkish Lira per participant ($60 or equal amount in Turkish Lira after each session)
Self-Help Plus (SH+) and cash transfer
SH+: Self-Help Plus (SH+) is a five-session stress management program developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for groups of up to 30 participants. It is facilitated by non-specialists who undergo brief training and use pre-recorded audio along with an illustrated guide, Doing What Matters in Times of Stress, to teach stress management techniques. Designed for adults experiencing stress, SH+ is adaptable to diverse living situations and circumstances. Research has demonstrated its effectiveness in alleviating psychological distress and preventing the onset of mental health disorders. Its flexible format makes it an excellent complement to other mental health interventions, whether as an initial step in a stepped care approach or as a community-based program integrated with broader community initiatives.
Cash Assistance: A cash transfer of $300 or equal amount in Turkish Lira per participant ($60 or equal amount in Turkish Lira after each session)
Control: Cash Assistance
A cash transfer of $300 or equal amount in Turkish Lira per participant ($60 or equal amount in Turkish Lira each week for 5 weeks)
Cash transfer
A cash transfer of $300 or equal amount in Turkish Lira per participant ($60 or equal amount in Turkish Lira each week for 5 weeks)
Interventions
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Self-Help Plus (SH+) and cash transfer
SH+: Self-Help Plus (SH+) is a five-session stress management program developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for groups of up to 30 participants. It is facilitated by non-specialists who undergo brief training and use pre-recorded audio along with an illustrated guide, Doing What Matters in Times of Stress, to teach stress management techniques. Designed for adults experiencing stress, SH+ is adaptable to diverse living situations and circumstances. Research has demonstrated its effectiveness in alleviating psychological distress and preventing the onset of mental health disorders. Its flexible format makes it an excellent complement to other mental health interventions, whether as an initial step in a stepped care approach or as a community-based program integrated with broader community initiatives.
Cash Assistance: A cash transfer of $300 or equal amount in Turkish Lira per participant ($60 or equal amount in Turkish Lira after each session)
Cash transfer
A cash transfer of $300 or equal amount in Turkish Lira per participant ($60 or equal amount in Turkish Lira each week for 5 weeks)
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
1. being an Afghan refugee or asylum seeker residing in Türkiye,
2. being a woman,
3. being aged 18 or older,
4. having the ability to read, speak, and consent in Dari,
5. having high levels of psychological distress (scoring above 15 on the Farsi version of the Kessler-10 Psychological Distress Scale (K-10), and
6. without an imminent risk of suicide (measured by WHO PM+ assessment tool).
Exclusion Criteria
18 Years
FEMALE
Yes
Sponsors
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Bogazici University
OTHER
Washington University School of Medicine
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Mitra Naseh
Assistant Professor
Locations
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Afghan Refugees Solidarity Association ARSA
Kayseri, Kayseri, Turkey (Türkiye)
Countries
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Other Identifiers
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202308168
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id