Evidence
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This library hosts materials developed by Switchboard and by former Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)-funded technical assistance (TA) providers (most in fiscal years 2016-2018, with selected earlier materials). This library links materials externally where: their formats were incompatible with internal hosting; they were developed by current ORR-funded TA providers; or they were developed by non-ORR funded authors who granted permission for the links.
Author Definitions
Paid Full TextBuilding on the Strengths of a Cambodian Refugee Community Through Community-Based Outreach
Publication Year: 2008
Outcome area(s): Mental Health
Intervention(s): Strengths-Based Approaches
Relevant ORR Program(s): Ethnic Community Self-Help Program, Preferred Communities, Refugee Health Promotion, Refugee Support Services, Services to Older Refugees
Direction of Evidence: Positive impact
Strength of Evidence: Suggestive
Type of Study: Suggestive evidence
Literature and practice are limited on strategies to reach elder Southeast Asian refugees by using their strengths and resilience. This article presents the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-funded Cambodian Community Health 2010 Program in Lowell, Massachusetts, as a case example. It provides refugee history, project background, community survey results about strengths and risks, …
Free Full TextEnhancing Need Satisfaction to Reduce Psychological Distress in Syrian Refugees
Publication Year: 2016
Outcome(s): Depression Reduction, General Distress Reduction, PTSD Reduction
Intervention(s): Mental health and psychosocial support services
Relevant ORR Program(s): Ethnic Community Self-Help Program, Preferred Communities, Refugee Health Promotion, Refugee Support Services, Unaccompanied Refugee Minors
Direction of Evidence: No impact, Positive impact
Strength of Evidence: Moderate
Type of Study: Impact evaluation
Becoming a refugee is a potent risk factor for indicators of psychological distress such as depression, generalized stress, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), though research into this vulnerable population has been scant, with even less work focusing on interventions. The current study applied principles from self-determination theory (SDT; Ryan & Deci, 2000) to develop and …
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Free Full TextCommon Mental Disorders in Asylum Seekers and Refugees: Umbrella Review of Prevalence and Intervention Studies
Publication Year: 2017
Outcome(s): Anxiety Reduction, Depression Reduction, PTSD Reduction
Intervention(s): Mental health and psychosocial support services
Relevant ORR Program(s): Ethnic Community Self-Help Program, Preferred Communities, Refugee Health Promotion, Refugee Support Services, Unaccompanied Refugee Minors
Direction of Evidence: Inconclusive or mixed impact, No impact, Positive impact
Strength of Evidence: Strong
Type of Study: Systematic review
In recent years there has been a progressive rise in the number of asylum seekers and refugees displaced from their country of origin, with significant social, economic, humanitarian, and public health implications. In this population, up-to-date information on the rate and characteristics of mental health conditions, and on interventions that can be implemented once mental …
Free Full TextEfficacy and Acceptability of Psychosocial Interventions in Asylum Seekers and Refugees: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Publication Year: 2019
Outcome(s): Anxiety Reduction, Depression Reduction, PTSD Reduction
Intervention(s): Mental health and psychosocial support services
Relevant ORR Program(s): Ethnic Community Self-Help Program, Preferred Communities, Refugee Health Promotion, Refugee Support Services, Unaccompanied Refugee Minors
Direction of Evidence: Inconclusive or mixed impact, No impact, Positive impact
Strength of Evidence: Strong
Type of Study: Meta-analysis
Aims: In the past few years, there has been an unprecedented increase in the number of forcibly displaced migrants worldwide, of which a substantial proportion is refugees and asylum seekers. It is therefore timely and particularly relevant to assess whether current evidence supports the provision of psychosocial interventions for this population. Authors conducted a systematic …
Paid Full TextA Systematic Review of Psychosocial Interventions for Adult Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Publication Year: 2019
Outcome(s): Anxiety Reduction, Depression Reduction, PTSD Reduction, Somatic Symptoms Reduction
Intervention(s): Mental health and psychosocial support services
Relevant ORR Program(s): Ethnic Community Self-Help Program, Preferred Communities, Refugee Health Promotion, Refugee Support Services, Services to Older Refugees
Direction of Evidence: Inconclusive or mixed impact, Positive impact
Strength of Evidence: Strong
Type of Study: Systematic review
Europe is in the midst of the largest refugee migration since the Second World War; there is an urgent need to provide an updated systematic review of the current best evidence for managing mental distress in refugee populations. The aim of this review is to provide an exhaustive summary of the current literature on psychosocial …
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Paid Full TextPsychological Interventions for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Refugees and Asylum Seekers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Publication Year: 2018
Outcome(s): Depression Reduction, PTSD Reduction
Intervention(s): Mental health and psychosocial support services
Relevant ORR Program(s): Ethnic Community Self-Help Program, Preferred Communities, Refugee Health Promotion, Refugee Support Services, Services to Older Refugees
Direction of Evidence: Inconclusive or mixed impact, No impact, Positive impact
Strength of Evidence: Strong
Type of Study: Meta-analysis
There is a high prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in refugee and asylum seeker populations which can pose distinct challenges for mental health professionals. This review included 16 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with 1111 participants investigating the effect of psychological interventions on PTSD in these populations. Despite the challenges of conducting research in this …
Free Full TextEMDR with Traumatized Refugees: From Experience-Based to Evidence-Based Practice
Publication Year: 2014
Outcome(s): PTSD Reduction
Intervention(s): Mental health and psychosocial support services
Relevant ORR Program(s): Ethnic Community Self-Help Program, Preferred Communities, Refugee Health Promotion, Refugee Support Services, Unaccompanied Refugee Minors
Direction of Evidence: Inconclusive or mixed impact
Strength of Evidence: Strong
Type of Study: Systematic review
Many refugees resettled in Western countries suffer from an accumulation of traumatic and current stressors that contribute to mental health problems and may complicate trauma-focused treatment. Consequently, the acceptability, safety, and efficacy of trauma-focused treatment with refugees have been a matter of clinical and scientific interest. In recent years, the evidence has accumulated for narrative …
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Free Full TextComplex PTSD and Phased Treatment in Refugees: A Debate Piece
Publication Year: 2016
Outcome(s): PTSD Reduction
Intervention(s): Mental health and psychosocial support services
Relevant ORR Program(s): Ethnic Community Self-Help Program, Preferred Communities, Refugee Health Promotion, Refugee Support Services, Services to Older Refugees
Direction of Evidence: Inconclusive or mixed impact, Positive impact
Strength of Evidence: Strong
Type of Study: Systematic review
Asylum seekers and refugees have been claimed to be at increased risk of developing complex posttraumatic stress disorder (complex PTSD). The aim of this debate piece is to defend two theses: (1) that complex trauma leads to complex PTSD in a minority of refugees only and (2) that trauma-focused treatment should be offered to all …
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Free Full TextAn Integrative Adapt Therapy for Common Mental Health Symptoms and Adaptive Stress Amongst Rohingya, Chin, and Kachin Refugees Living in Malaysia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Publication Year: 2020
Outcome(s): Depression Reduction, PTSD Reduction
Intervention(s): Mental health and psychosocial support services
Relevant ORR Program(s): Ethnic Community Self-Help Program, Preferred Communities, Refugee Health Promotion, Refugee Support Services, Services to Older Refugees
Direction of Evidence: Positive impact
Strength of Evidence: Moderate
Type of Study: Impact evaluation
Background: This randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to compare 6-week posttreatment outcomes of an Integrative Adapt Therapy (IAT) to a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) on common mental health symptoms and adaptive capacity amongst refugees from Myanmar. Authors conducted a single-blind RCT (October 2017 -May 2019) with Chin (39.3%), Kachin (15.7%), and Rohingya (45%) refugees living …
Free Full TextDigital Game-Based Education for Syrian Refugee Children: Project Hope
Publication Year: 2018
Outcome(s): General Distress Reduction
Intervention(s): Mental health and psychosocial support services
Relevant ORR Program(s): Children's Services, Refugee School Impact Program, Refugee Support Services, Unaccompanied Children's Services, Unaccompanied Refugee Minors
Direction of Evidence: Positive impact
Strength of Evidence: Moderate
Type of Study: Impact evaluation
Turkey is the top refugee-hosting country in the world, with more than three million registered Syrian refugees. An international research team was the first to document the educational and mental health needs of Syrian refugee children, finding that an overwhelming majority are not enrolled in school in Turkey, partly as a result of language barriers, …
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