Feasibility and Acceptability of BRIGHT

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH · Apr 29, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a program called Problem Management Plus (PM+), which is designed to help refugees and asylum seekers who are experiencing psychological distress, such as anxiety or symptoms of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). The goal is to see if this adapted version of PM+ is suitable and acceptable for people in these communities, so researchers can plan a larger study in the future.

To participate in this trial, you need to be a refugee or asylum seeker aged 16 or older, living in specific areas of Switzerland where the program is offered, and speak one of the 12 languages included in the study. You'll also need to show moderate to high levels of psychological distress, as measured by a simple questionnaire. If you join, you can expect to receive support through the PM+ program, which is delivered by trained non-professionals. It's important to note that individuals with severe mental health issues or facing immediate risks, like thoughts of suicide, will not be eligible for this trial.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • refugees and asylum seekers (RAS) aged 16 or older;
• • residing in one of the participating local sites (Swiss municipalities, namely, Gemeinden, and transitional asylum centers, namely, Durchgangszentren) where PM+ is offered and which gave their consent for participation in the RCT;
• • speaking at least one of the following 12 languages: German, English, French, Arabic, Farsi, Kurdish, Tigrinya, Turkish, Ukrainian, Russian, Tamil, and Pashto;
• • obtaining a score of 20 or higher on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10; Kessler et al., 2002), a brief clinically validated screening questionnaire that assesses general psychological distress in the past 30 days. A score equal to or higher than 20 is used as an indication of moderate to high levels of psychological distress.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • significant cognitive or neurological impairment measured through specific tools developed by the WHO and integrated into the PM+ manual (impairment questionnaire);
• • acute medical conditions or severe mental disorders (e.g., psychotic or substance-abuse disorders) measured through specific tools developed by the WHO and integrated into the PM+ manual (impairment questionnaire);
• • acute risk of suicide as measured by the Suicidal Ideation Attribution Scale (SIDAS; van Spijker et al., 2014) and the Thoughts of Suicide Questionnaire (World Health Organization WHO, 2016).