Journal of Adolescent Health
2019

Family-Based Mental Health Promotion for Somali Bantu and Bhutanese Refugees: Feasibility and Acceptability Trial (Article)

Betancourt T.S.* , Berent J.M. , Freeman J. , Frounfelker R.L. , Brennan R.T. , Abdi S. , Maalim A. , Abdi A. , Mishra T. , Gautam B. , Creswell J.W. , Beardslee W.R.
  • a Research Program on Children and Adversity, Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
  • b Research Program on Children and Adversity, Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
  • c Research Program on Children and Adversity, Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
  • d Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
  • e Research Program on Children and Adversity, Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States, Women's Studies Research Center, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States
  • f Refugee Trauma and Resilience Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
  • g Research Program on Children and Adversity, Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
  • h Research Program on Children and Adversity, Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
  • i Research Program on Children and Adversity, Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
  • j Research Program on Children and Adversity, Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
  • k Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, St. Ann Arbor, MI, United States, College of Education and Human Services, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
  • l College of Education and Human Services, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States, Judge Baker Children's Center, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

Purpose: There are disparities in mental health of refugee youth compared with the general U.S. population. We conducted a pilot feasibility and acceptability trial of the home-visiting Family Strengthening Intervention for refugees (FSI-R) using a community-based participatory research approach. The FSI-R aims to promote youth mental health and family relationships. We hypothesized that FSI-R families would have better psychosocial outcomes and family functioning postintervention compared with care-as-usual (CAU) families. We hypothesized that FSI-R would be feasible to implement and accepted by communities. Methods: A total of 40 Somali Bantu (n = 103 children, 58.40% female; n = 43 caregivers, 79.00% female) and 40 Bhutanese (n = 49 children, 55.30% female; n = 62 caregivers, 54.00% female) families were randomized to receive FSI-R or CAU. Refugee research assistants conducted psychosocial assessments pre- and post-intervention, and home visitors delivered the preventive intervention. Multilevel modeling assessed the effects of FSI-R. Feasibility was measured from retention, and acceptability was measured from satisfaction surveys. Results: The retention rate of 82.50% indicates high feasibility, and high reports of satisfaction (81.50%) indicate community acceptance. Across communities, FSI-R children reported reduced traumatic stress reactions, and caregivers reported fewer child depression symptoms compared with CAU families (β = −.42; p = .03; β = −.34; p = .001). Bhutanese FSI-R children reported reduced family arguing (β = −1.32; p = .04) and showed fewer depression symptoms and conduct problems by parent report (β = −9.20; p = .04; β = −.92; p = .01) compared with CAU. There were no significant differences by group on other measures. Conclusions: A family-based home-visiting preventive intervention can be feasible and acceptable and has promise for promoting mental health and family functioning among refugees. © 2019

Author Keywords

intervention Youth mental health Family functioning Refugees prevention

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85075415347&doi=10.1016%2fj.jadohealth.2019.08.023&partnerID=40&md5=ea2311b34a92628fbe13d09eea7dc863

DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.08.023
ISSN: 1054139X
Original Language: English