Trauma-Informed Psychoeducation for Somali Refugee Youth in Urban Kenya: Effects on PTSD and Psychosocial Outcomes

Abstract

The current study developed and implemented a trauma-informed psychoeducation (TIPE) intervention that is culturally relevant to urban Somali refugees in Nairobi, Kenya. A total of 141 Somali refugee youth completed 12 sessions of peerled TIPE intervention. A series of pre-and post-tests revealed that TIPE made positive impacts on PTSD symptoms and psychosocial factors, with a differential effect observed according to baseline PTSD symptom report. Participants with high baseline PTSD scores (i.e. above clinical threshold) reported a significant decrease in PTSD symptoms and increase in perceived social support. In the meantime, those with no to mild baseline PTSD symptoms showed an increase in selfawareness of trauma responses and thus PTSD symptom report within the range of normalcy. This research supports the effect of a culturally relevant psychoeducation intervention in addressing the high mental health and psychosocial needs of the marginalized urban Somali refugee community in low resource settings.

Overcoming barriers to mental health care: multimodal trauma-focused treatment approach for unaccompanied refugee minors

“…The protocol could therefore benefit from providing specific (CBT) approaches to deal with continuous stressors. In addition, both therapists and ICMs noted they often needed more time for psychoeducation, which psychoeducation is suggested to have a positive impact on PTSD and psychosocial factors, such as social support [ 54 ]. The treatment approach protocol can be further improved by offering more attention to psychoeducation.…”

Task-shifting for refugee mental health and psychosocial support: A scoping review of services in humanitarian settings through the lens of RE-AIM

“…The lay counselors who were adopting the interventions were primarily from within the refugee community themselves (111 lay counselors; Bolton et al, 2014;Im et al, 2018;Tay et al, 2019;Murray et al, 2018;Neuner et al, 2008 CETA: common elements treatment approach; CBT: cognitive behavioral therapy; TEC: temporary education centers; TIPE: trauma-informed psychoeducation; CBO: community-based organization; IAT: integrative adapt therapy; NET: narrative exposure therapy; TC: trauma counseling; MHPSS: mental health and psychosocial support services; SH+: Self Help+; CASP: contact and safety planning; RCT: randomized controlled trial, HS: high school, PTSD: post-traumatic stress disorder, SBI: screening and brief intervention. members from the host community or were unclear about the counselor demographics.…”

Community-Based Interventions for the Treatment and Management of Conflict-Related Trauma in Low-Middle Income, Conflict-Affected Countries: a Realist Review

“…The most prominent of the interventions seen in this review, CETA, group-delivered TF-CBT, and NET, all of which were delivered by lay community psychosocial workers, were all successfully implemented by operating around the barriers of limited construct validity, differing symptom expression across cultures, and unclear validity of interventions by customizing psychosocial assessment tools specific to the context in which the intervention is delivered (Kohrt et al, 2010;Murray et al, 2015;Im et al, 2018).…”

“…Trauma-informed psychoeducation delivered to Somali refugees in Kenya with clinically-indicated PTSD by trained youth workers may have been effective due to the utilization of community members as deliverers of trauma-informed psychoeducation, and because the treatment was delivered to severe cases of PTSD (Im et al, 2018). By compensating for language and logistic barriers presented by the program materials, peer-lead group-based recovery was effective.…”