The main purpose of this study is to evaluate early-phase interventions for refugee wellness promotion and build evidence for dissemination of the intervention model and curricula through refugee resettlement programs, local and national.
This study will examine the main effects of trauma-informed case management (TICM) and trauma-informed cultural orientation (TICO) interventions, respectively, in reducing resettlement distress and increasing coping capacity, which will improve emotional wellness and social adaptation and thus resettlement outcomes. This project will also test the interaction effects of two-tiered intervention model, discerning effective and ineffective components of the intervention model. Differences in effects across intervention conditions may inform how improvement in what outcomes or which phase can affect refugees' wellness and adjustment over time.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
The TICM will be designed to include the seven domains of trauma-informed care articulated by SAMHSA (2014): 1) early screening and comprehensive assessment; 2) consumer driven care and services; 3) trauma-informed, responsive and educated workforce; 4) emerging and evidence-informed best practices; 5) safe and secure environments; 6) trauma-informed community partnerships; and 7) a performance monitoring system. The trained agency case managers and staff will provide the TICM to 50 newly resettled refugees during their regular R\&P service period (i.e., 60 days).
The community-based TICO will be based on the Im's CHW that comprises 8 sessions (2 hour per session), co-facilitated by trained refugee peer mentors and community service providers. The TICO sessions will include interactive sessions on healthy eating, healthy body and healthy mind, acculturation \& resettlement stress, understanding trauma and stress, healthy coping, helping others, and community building.
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, Virginia, United States
Change in resettlement distress
Penn State Worry Questionnaire, which captures pervasiveness, excessiveness, and uncontrollability of worry. Scores range from 16 to 80 with higher values indicating more worry.
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Change in emotional well-being
Refugee Health Screener-15, a 75 item screening tool with lower scores indicating better well-being
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Resettlement Outcomes
Post-Migration Living Difficulties, a self-assessment tool which measures adverse post -migration experiences in five different domains, included two related asylum-seeking factors. Scores range from 23 to 115 with higher values indicating more serious problems.
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Change in Social Adaptation
Social Adaptation Self-evaluation Scale. Scores range from 0 to 63 with higher values indicating better social adjustment.
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
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