App-based Psychosocial Intervention to Enhance Quality of Life in Arabic-speaking Refugees Residing in Switzerland

University of Bern170 enrolled

Overview

The ongoing warfare and economic instability in the Middle East and in North Africa causes many people to leave their home countries. Arrived in a host countries, in this example, in Switzerland, they face a lot of structural and psychosocial hurdles. Particularly in the first years, building up a certain quality of life is complicated and challenging. To support this process, the Swiss Red Cross and the University of Bern have developed the Sui app. It contains structural and social information as well as low-intensity psychological tools to provide support to the everyday life of Arabic-speaking people in Switzerland.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

170

Conditions

Quality of Life Stigma, Social Depression PTSD Anxiety

Interventions

Sui App (SRK)BEHAVIORAL

The Sui app contains the following chapters: 6 well-being chapters on: stress, sleep, resources throughout the day, chronic pain, emotion regulation, audio exercises 9 Swiss-specific information chapters on: housing, health (two sub-chapters), finances, asylum process, residence status, social integration, occupational integration, family reunification

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * At least 18 years old * Arabic as native or second language * Good knowledge of reading, writing and speaking Arabic * Have lived in Switzerland for no longer than 5 years * Give written consent * Have access to a smartphone and an internet connection * Indicate an emergency contact whom they could contact in event of a crisis Exclusion Criteria: * Indicate an increased risk of self-harm or suicide at baseline * Indicate having been diagnosed with psychosis or bipolar disorder * Be participating in a similar study at baseline * Have a lack of written and spoken Arabic skills

Locations (1)

University of Bern

Bern, Canton of Bern, Switzerland

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Well-being at baseline

Measured by the WHO Quality of Life Short Version (WHOQOL-BREF, 4 domain scores, mean score multiplied by 4, 0 (low) to 100 (high) range)

Time frame: Baseline

Well-being at post-intervention timepoint

Measured by the WHO Quality of Life Short Version (WHOQOL-BREF, 4 domain scores, mean score multiplied by 4, 0 (low) to 100 (high) range)

Time frame: Post (after 8 weeks)

Well-being at follow-up timepoint

Measured by the WHO Quality of Life Short Version (WHOQOL-BREF, 4 domain scores, mean score multiplied by 4, 0 (low) to100 (high) range)

Time frame: Follow-Up (after 16 weeks)

Secondary Outcomes

Satisfaction with the treatment

Measured by the Questionnaire on satisfaction with the treatment (ZUF-8, 1(low) to 4 (high) scores) adapted for "app" as intervention

Time frame: Post (after 8 weeks), Follow-Up (after 16 weeks)

Self-stigma

Measured by the Self-stigma of mental illness scale short form (SSMIS-SF, 1(strongly disagree) to 9 (strongly agree) scores)