Mental health and psychosocial needs of Syrian refugees and the role of Syrian non-governmental organisations

Almoshmosh, Nadim; Mobayed, Mamoun; Aljendi, Mohammad

doi:10.1192/s2056474000001380

Cited by 9 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 5 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…A study of unaccompanied refugee minors conducted in Sweden showed a significant decrease in PTSD and depression [36]. TRT training for those working with Syrian refugees has taken place in Lebanon and Turkey [37], but no systematic data are available yet for families displaced by the Syrian conflict. Reports on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) provision for displaced Syrians recommended that programmes such as TRT, which have been validated elsewhere, are promising but require evaluation in the Syrian context [38].…”

Section: The Current Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT) with Parenting Skills: RCT of TRT + Parenting with Trauma-Affected Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Utilising Remote Training with Implications for Insecure Contexts and COVID-19

El-Khani

Cartwright

Maalouf

et al. 2021

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Child psychosocial recovery interventions in humanitarian contexts often overlook the significant effect that caregivers can have on improving children’s future trajectory. We enhanced the well-established, evidenced-based child trauma recovery programme Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT) intervention with parenting sessions, i.e., TRT + Parenting (TRT + P), which aims to improve parent mental health and their ability to support their children’s mental health. We describe the findings of a three-arm randomised controlled trial comparing enhanced TRT + P vs. TRT and waitlist. The primary aim was to test if children in the enhanced arm of the programme show improved child and caregiver mental health. We recruited 119 Syrian refugee children and one of their caregivers in Beqaa Valley in Lebanon. They were randomised to the TRT, TRT + P, or waitlist control group. Data were collected at baseline and 2 weeks and 12 weeks post intervention. Training of facilitators was via remote training from the United Kingdom. Results showed a highly consistent pattern, with children in the enhanced TRT + P group showing the greatest levels of improvement in behavioural and emotional difficulties compared to children in the TRT or waitlist control groups. Caregivers in the TRT + P group also reported significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress. Findings indicate that the addition of the evidence-based parenting skills components has the potential to enhance the effects of interventions designed to improve children’s mental health in contexts of trauma, conflict, and displacement. Implications for COVID-19 remote learning are also discussed.

show abstract

Section: The Current Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT) with Parenting Skills: RCT of TRT + Parenting with Trauma-Affected Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Utilising Remote Training with Implications for Insecure Contexts and COVID-19

El-Khani

Cartwright

Maalouf

et al. 2021

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…[6][7][8] Consequently, expatriate Syrian mental health professionals (MHPs), various Syrian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international NGOs (INGOs) have made initiatives to provide training and supervision for evidence-based therapies to displaced Syrians. [9][10][11] While doing so mobilises resources, reduces language barriers and enhances cultural sensitivity, it also comes with challenges including high case loads with reduced opportunities for supervision…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Qualitative accounts from Syrian mental health professionals: shared realities in the context of conflict and forced displacement

2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ObjectivesTo explore the impact of the provision of care of forcibly displaced Syrian mental health professionals (MHPs) to Syrian clients in the community given shared experiences and backgrounds with clients.DesignA qualitative study using thematic analysis of in-depth semistructured interviews to explore shared realities, self-disclosure and the impact of providing therapy.SettingSyrian MHPs operating in Gaziantep and Istanbul, Turkey, were interviewed.ParticipantsSixteen forcibly displaced Syrian MHPs (eight male, eight female) aged between 24 and 54 years (M=35, SD=8.3) who provided care to the displaced Syrian community in Turkey.ResultsAll workers described having a shared reality with their clients as helpful in therapy and a smaller proportion described it as a vulnerability. All described their work with Syrian clients as fulfilling and most described it as distressing. Participants referred to self-care,supervision, peer-support and personal therapy as a means to cope.ConclusionsThis study provides the first insight into the shared experiences of the ongoing trauma, loss and violations resulting from the ongoing Syrian conflict from the perspective of Syrian MHPs, adding to the literature of the professional issues and ethical duty to protect health workers in conflict settings.

show abstract

“…Many international and local NGOs have contributed to this important work [for reports on some of these initiatives, see (135)(136)(137)]. This includes Syrian NGOs, largely operating from outside the country, such as the Syrian Association for Mental Health, the Union of Syrian Medical Care and Relief Organizations, and the Syrian American Medical Society, as well as charities such as Al-Sham and Balsam (138). Despite these efforts, the need for mental health services in Syria continues to massively outstrip available resources.…”

Section: Syriamentioning

confidence: 99%

Refugee Mental Health, Global Health Policy, and the Syrian Crisis

Cratsley

Brooks

Mackey

2021

Front. Public Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The most recent global refugee figures are staggering, with over 82.4 million people forcibly displaced and 26.4 million registered refugees. The ongoing conflict in Syria is a major contributor. After a decade of violence and destabilization, over 13.4 million Syrians have been displaced, including 6.7 million internally displaced persons and 6.7 million refugees registered in other countries. Beyond the immediate political and economic challenges, an essential component of any response to this humanitarian crisis must be health-related, including policies and interventions specific to mental health. This policy and practice review addresses refugee mental health in the context of the Syrian crisis, providing an update and overview of the current situation while exploring new initiatives in mental health research and global health policy that can help strengthen and expand services. Relevant global health policy frameworks are first briefly introduced, followed by a short summary of recent research on refugee mental health. We then provide an update on the current status of research, service provision, and health policy in the leading destinations for Syrians who have been forcibly displaced. This starts within Syria and then turns to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and Germany. Finally, several general recommendations are discussed, including the pressing need for more data at each phase of migration, the expansion of integrated mental health services, and the explicit inclusion and prioritization of refugee mental health in national and global health policy.

show abstract

Mental health and psychosocial needs of Syrian refugees and the role of Syrian non-governmental organisations

Cited by 9 publications

References 5 publications

Enhancing Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT) with Parenting Skills: RCT of TRT + Parenting with Trauma-Affected Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Utilising Remote Training with Implications for Insecure Contexts and COVID-19

Enhancing Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT) with Parenting Skills: RCT of TRT + Parenting with Trauma-Affected Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Utilising Remote Training with Implications for Insecure Contexts and COVID-19

Qualitative accounts from Syrian mental health professionals: shared realities in the context of conflict and forced displacement

Refugee Mental Health, Global Health Policy, and the Syrian Crisis

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About