Storytelling as a tool: A family‐based intervention for newly resettled Syrian refugee children

Abstract

The conflict in Syria has resulted in a humanitarian emergency and one of the largest refugee crises in history. The Canadian government has welcomed over 40,000 Syrian refugees. Stressors caused by instability, conflict, and the resettlement process put refugee children at high risk for mental health problems. Anxiety is a common problem experienced by refugee children. Thus, early intervention is crucial to promote their adequate adaptation and development. This study explores the impact and value of a culturally specific family‐based storybook intervention for newly resettled Syrian refugee children. Six refugee families participated. Anxiety symptoms were measured before and after the intervention, and families shared their experiences, thoughts, and feedback regarding the intervention. The results showed a significant decrease in children's anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, qualitative analyses demonstrated that the intervention was culturally relevant to Syrian refugee families and that it was effective in promoting children's overall well‐being, agency, and family connectedness.

The effectiveness of therapeutic interventions on psychological distress in refugee children: A systematic review

“…These articles employed various methodologies to investigate the efficacy of a range of psychological interventions in samples of refugee and asylum‐seeker children. While most studies comprised of samples of children aged below 18‐year‐old, there were nine studies that recruited parents to partake in family or parent‐based interventions that aimed at increasing child wellbeing (Abi Zeid Daou et al, 2021; Betancourt et al, 2020; El‐Khani, Cartwright, et al, 2021; Gotseva‐Balgaranova et al, 2020; Lakkis et al, 2020; Miller, Koppenol‐Gonzalez, Jawad, et al, 2020, Ponguta, et al, 2020; Shaw et al, 2020; Sim et al, 2020). Participants across the studies included refugees or asylum‐seekers who had been born in various regions of Africa (e.g., Sierra Leone, Somalia, Uganda), Europe (e.g., Kosovo, Turkey), the Middle East (e.g., Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan), and Asia (e.g., Vietnam).…”