Syrian refugee young adults as community mental health workers implementing problem management plus: Protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial to measure the mechanisms of effect on their own wellbeing, stress and coping

Abstract

This pilot randomized controlled trial protocol aims to (1) assess the impact on the wellbeing of Syrian refugee young adults (18–24 years) of being a community mental health worker (CMHW) implementing WHO's evidence-based psychosocial intervention - Problem Management Plus (PM+) - with adults in their community, and (2) identify the mechanisms associated with the outcomes of enhanced wellbeing and coping, and reduced stress among these CMHWs. Over 108 million people have been forcibly displaced as of the end of 2022. Mental health consequences of these displacements are significant, yet human resources for health are not sufficient to meet the needs. A large proportion of refugee populations are youth and young adults (YA). Evidence indicates their engagement in supporting their communities leads to their own enhanced wellbeing and that of their community. This trial trains Syrian refugees to serve their communities as CMHW (n=19) or tutors (n=19) and compare wellbeing, stress and coping outcomes between these two groups and a control group (n = 40). We will also assess 7 mechanisms as potential pathways for the interventions to influence outcomes. Surveys will assess outcomes and mechanisms, hair samples will measure stress cortisol. The primary analysis will use a Bayesian Hierarchical Model approach to model the trajectories of the mechanisms and primary study endpoints over time for individuals in each of the arms. Our results will elucidate critical mechanisms in which engagement of young adults to support their community enhances their own wellbeing. Trial registration: National Institutes of Mental Health, NCT05265611, Registered prospectively in 2021. Lebanon clinical trials registry #: LBCTR2023015206, Registered in 2023.

Keywords

• Refugee
• Bayesian hierarchical model
• Community health worker
• Young adult