The TAFES Multi-Family Group Intervention for Kosovar Refugees: A Feasibility Study

Year Published:

Abstract

The object of this study was to describe a feasibility study of the Tea and Families Education and Support (TAFES) intervention used in a group of newly resettled adult refugees from Kosova. The subjects were 86 newly resettled Kosovar refugees in Chicago who gave informed consent to participate in an investigation of the TAFES intervention. All subjects received family home visits, and most participated in the TAFES multi-family groups. The TAFES program had contact with 61 Kosovar refugee families, of which 42 families (69%) engaged in TAFES groups, including families with educated and working members. The uncontrolled post-intervention assessments demonstrated increases in social support and psychiatric service use associated with engagement in the TAFES group. Participants also showed time changes in scale scores assessing trauma mental health knowledge, trauma mental health attitudes, and family hardiness. This study provides preliminary evidence that multi-family support and education groups are a feasible and possibly beneficial intervention for newly resettled refugees and indicates the need for further studies.

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: Multiple Age Groups

DIRECTION OF EVIDENCE: Positive impact

FULL TEXT AVAILABILITY: Paid

GENDER: All

HOST COUNTRY: United States

HOST COUNTRY INCOME: High Income

INTERVENTION DURATION: 8 weeks

INTERVENTION: Mental health and psychosocial support services

INTERVENTION: Peer support groups

OUTCOME AREA: General Distress Reduction

REGION OF ORIGIN OF PARTICIPANT(S): Europe – East

STRENGTH OF EVIDENCE: Suggestive

TYPE OF STUDY: Suggestive evidence

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2003

More STUDIES