Community-based interventions for improving mental health in refugee children and adolescents in high-income countries

Are community-based interventions effective at improving mental health outcomes in refugee children and adolescents in high-income countries?

“…This month's Cochrane Corner review, by Soltan et al (2022), aimed to assess the efficacy and acceptability of community-based interventions in preventing and treating mental health conditions in refugee children and adolescents in high-income countries. The population considered in the study were individuals aged 18 years or younger, of any sex/gender or ethnicity, with or without a previous diagnosis of a mental health condition.…”

What works to support better access to mental health services (from primary care to inpatients) for minority groups to reduce inequalities? A rapid evidence summary

“…Nineteen systematic reviews (Aggarwal et al 2016, Anderson et al 2015, Arundell et al 2021, Bhui et al 2015, Castellanos et al 2019, Degnan et al 2018, Ellis et al 2022, Giebel et al 2015, Hernandez Robles et al 2018, Interian et al 2013, Iqbal et al 2022, Lee-Tauler et al 2018, Li et al 2023, McFadden et al 2018, Moffat et al 2009, Moore 2018, Sass et al 2009, Soltan et al 2022, Taylor et al 2023), seven scoping reviews (Apers et al 2023, Handtke et al 2019, Hynie et al 2023, Place et al 2021, Ratnayake et al 2022, Rogers et al 2020, Thomson et al 2015), one mapping review 3 (Arundell et al 2020), three narrative review (Griner and Smith et al 2006, Kalibatseva and Leong 2014, Mukadam et al 2013), two overviews of reviews (Rathod et al 2018, Uphoff et al 2020), one scoping review of reviews (Chakanyuka et al 2022) and four protocols (Aslam et al 2018, Stockwell and Roche 2022, Wang and Kim 2019, Wood et al 2023) were identified across the literature searches of bibliographic databases. The detail from each of these reviews is reported in Table 2.…”

“…There was no evidence of an effect of community-based interventions when compared with a waiting list for symptoms of PTSD, depression, and psychological distress in refugee children and adolescents in high-income countries (Soltan et al 2022).…”

Creating Safety—The Importance of Providing Psychosocial Support for Refugee Children and Adolescents After Resettlement

“…4 Building on the findings presented by Guo and colleagues, 2 when mental illness such as PTSD or depression is present. 6 Regarding specialized mental health treatments, there have been some successes in adapting existing psychotherapeutic methods to the specific needs of young refugees (eg, narrative exposure therapy adapted for children and adolescents). 7 In addition, nonverbal creative and complementary therapies including art, music, sand play, or children's books can also be beneficial.…”

“…These interventions seem particularly necessary for adolescents who have experienced premigration trauma and postmigration discrimination. However, the limitations of low-threshold, community-based interventions need to be kept in mind, especially when mental illness such as PTSD or depression is present …”