To implement Problem Management Plus (PM+) in Syrian refugees with this pilot study in Turkey with the aim of informing the definitive RCT about drop-out rates and estimated effect sizes.
The STRENGTHS (Syrian REfuGees MeNTal HealTH Care Systems) study is a 5-year study that started in January 2017 with funding from the European Commission Horizon 2020 scheme and Turkey is one of the sites that this study will be conducted. The main aim of STRENGTHS in Turkey is to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the culturally adapted psychological intervention Problem Management Plus (PM+) intervention for adult Syrian refugees in Turkey. The current trial registration is for the pilot trial to investigate the feasibility and acceptability (e.g., obtain estimates of drop-out rates), to inform a full-scale, definitive randomized controlled trial. Study participants (n=60) will consist of adult Syrian refugees (18 years and older) in Turkey with self-reported functional impairment (WHODAS 2.0 \>16) and elevated psychological distress (K10 \>15.9). Participants will be randomly allocated either to the treatment group who will receive five sessions of PM+ or to the enhanced care-as-usual (E-CAU) group. Participants in the comparison group will receive E-CAU only. The primary outcome will be the decrease in psychological distress from baseline to three-month post-intervention assessment, measured through the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
46
This intervention is based on the WHO treatment guidelines for conditions related to stress (WHO, 2013). It is a 5-session intervention that is delivered by trained non-specialized workers or lay people, and is available in individual and group delivery formats for both children and adults. PM+ includes evidence-based techniques such as; problem solving, stress management, behavioral activation, and accessing social support. It has proved to be effective by two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in Kenya and Pakistan (Bryant, Dawson, Schafer, Sijbrandij, \& van Ommeren, 2016; Rahman, Hamdani, Awan, Bryant, Dawson, Khan, Mukhtar-ul-Haq Azeemi, et al., 2016).
Refugee and Asylum Seekers Assistance and Solidarity Association's (RASASA)
Istanbul, Sultanbeyli, Turkey (Türkiye)
Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25)
The aim is to measure the change in psychological distress. Sub-scales can be calculated for depression (13 items) and anxiety symptoms (10 items). There are two items related to somatic symptoms. The items are rated on a 1-4 point Likert scale, with a well-validated cut-off score of 1.75. The current study will primarily look at the total score in which the lower values represent a better outcome. Furthermore, aim is to examine changes in caseness in depression, a cut-off score for the depression sub-scale of 2.1 will be used.
Time frame: Change from baseline assessment, at 1 week post-intervention assessment (6 weeks after baseline), and change from post-assessment at 3 month post-intervention assessment (4-4.5 months after baseline)
PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)
The aim is to measure the change in PTSD symptoms. PCL-5 is a 20-item checklist corresponding with the 20 DSM-5 PTSD symptoms. Items are rated on a 0-4 scale and add up to a total severity score of 80, with higher scores indicating worse symptomatology. The current study will primarily look at the total score in which the lower values represent a better outcome.
Time frame: Change from baseline assessment, at 1 week post-intervention assessment (6 weeks after baseline), and change from post intervention assessment at 3 month post-intervention assessment (4-4.5 months after baseline)
Psychological Outcome Measures (PSYCHLOPS)
The aim is to assess the change in self-identified problems. PSYCHLOPS consists of four questions. It contains three domains: 2 questions on problems, 1 question on function, and 1 question on well-being. Participants are asked to give free text responses to the problem and function domains. Responses are scored on a 0-5 scale producing a maximum score of 20 (six points per domain). The current study will primarily look at the total score in which the lower values represent a better outcome.
Time frame: Change from baseline assessment, at 1 week post-intervention assessment (6 weeks after baseline), and change from post intervention assessment at 3 month post-intervention assessment (4-4.5 months after baseline)
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Client Service Receipt Inventory (CSRI)
The aim is to measure the change in the cost of care. CSRI was developed for the collection of data on service utilization, and related characteristics of people with mental disorders, as the basis for calculating the costs of care for mental health cost-effectiveness research. The current study will look at the change in the cost of care.
Time frame: Change from baseline assessment, at 1 week post-intervention assessment (6 weeks after baseline), and change from post-assessment at 3 month post-intervention assessment (4-4.5 months after baseline)
Access to health care: own questionnaire
The aim is to assess the change in access to health care. The questionnaire will include 70 questions on perceived access to health care. 57 of those questions will be two-way closed ended questions (yes or no) with the addition of the items "don't know" and "refused to answer". 13 of these questions are asking the type of help received (counselling/psychotherapy, psychological support, and medicines) with the addition of the items "don't know" and "refused to answer". The current study will look at the change in the access to health care.
Time frame: Change from baseline assessment, at 1 week post-intervention assessment (6 weeks after baseline), and change from the post-intervention assessment at 3 month post-intervention assessment (4-4.5 months after baseline)