A Peer Support and Peer Mentoring Approach to Enhancing Resilience and Empowerment Among Refugees Settled in Southern Spain

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Abstract

This study aims to analyze the processes of resilience and empowerment experienced by refugees in southern Spain during their participation in a community-based intervention. Intervention design covered two phases over 15 weeks: (a) accompanying a group of 10 settled refugees to become mentors, making use of a peer-support group format; and (b) holding four cultural peer-support groups made up of newly arrived refugees led by the previously trained settled refugees, following a peer-mentoring format. Authors analyzed the mentors’ narratives and written evaluations produced over the course of the intervention program. Mentor resilience increased during the first program phase and remained high and stable during the second phase. Mentor empowerment steadily increased throughout the duration of the program, and was fueled when participants became mentors to newly arrived refugees during the second phase. This study highlights how a peer-support and peer-mentoring approach is useful for enhancing the resilience and empowerment of refugees in receiving societies.

Citation

Relevant Evidence Summaries

The evidence was reviewed and included in the following summaries: 

What is the impact of peer support groups on refugees’ mental health?

Multiple sources of strong evidence indicates that peer support groups can improve newcomer mental health symptoms. Three systematic reviews, as well as four additional studies, demonstrate positive outcomes from peer support groups in various newcomer populations. Such groups appear to provide a unique benefit to both participants and newcomer leaders in enhancing social connections, expanding […]

About this study

AGE: Adults

DIRECTION OF EVIDENCE: Positive impact

FULL TEXT AVAILABILITY: Paid

GENDER: All

HOST COUNTRY: Spain

HOST COUNTRY INCOME: High Income

INTERVENTION DURATION: 15 weeks

INTERVENTION: Mental health and psychosocial support services

INTERVENTION: Peer support groups

OUTCOME AREA: General Distress Reduction

REGION OF ORIGIN OF PARTICIPANT(S): Multiple Regions

STRENGTH OF EVIDENCE: Suggestive

TYPE OF STUDY: Suggestive evidence

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2020

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