Twelve-month follow-up of a controlled trial of a brief behavioural intervention to reduce psychological distress in young adolescent Syrian refugees
Abstract Aims The majority of studies of mental health interventions for young adolescents have only evaluated short-term benefits. This study evaluated the longer-term effectiveness of a non-specialist delivered group-based intervention (Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions; EASE) to improve young...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2045796024000817/type/journal_article |
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| _version_ | 1841526418610061312 |
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| author | Richard A. Bryant Rand Habashneh Maha Ghatasheh Aiysha Malik Ibrahim Said Aqel Katie S. Dawson Sarah Watts Mark J. D. Jordans Felicity L. Brown Mark van Ommeren Aemal Akhtar |
| author_facet | Richard A. Bryant Rand Habashneh Maha Ghatasheh Aiysha Malik Ibrahim Said Aqel Katie S. Dawson Sarah Watts Mark J. D. Jordans Felicity L. Brown Mark van Ommeren Aemal Akhtar |
| author_sort | Richard A. Bryant |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract
Aims
The majority of studies of mental health interventions for young adolescents have only evaluated short-term benefits. This study evaluated the longer-term effectiveness of a non-specialist delivered group-based intervention (Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions; EASE) to improve young adolescents’ mental health.
Methods
In this single-blind, parallel, controlled trial, Syrian refugees aged 10-14 years in Jordan who screened positive for psychological distress were randomised to receive either EASE or enhanced usual care (EUC). Primary outcomes were scores on the Paediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) assessed at Week 0, 8-weeks, 3-months, and 12 months after treatment. Secondary outcomes were disability, posttraumatic stress, school belongingness, wellbeing, and caregivers’ reports of distress, parenting behaviour, and their perceived children’s mental health.
Results
Between June, 2019 and January, 2020, 185 adolescents were assigned to EASE and 286 to EUC, and 149 (80.5%) and 225 (78.7%) were retained at 12 months, respectively. At 12 months there were no significant differences between treatment conditions, except that EASE was associated with less reduction in depression (estimated mean difference -1.6, 95% CI –3.2 to -0.1; p=.03; effect size, -0.3), and a greater sense of school belonging (estimated mean difference -0.3, 95% CI –5.7 to -0.2; p=.03; effect size, 5.0).
Conclusions
Although EASE led to significant reductions in internalising problems, caregiver distress, and harsh disciplinary parenting at 3-months, these improvements were not maintained at 12 months relative to EUC. Scalable psychological interventions for young adolescents need to consider their ongoing mental health needs. Prospectively registered: ACTRN12619000341123.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5600967fa723453e91ddee2954342663 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-7960 2045-7979 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-5600967fa723453e91ddee29543426632025-01-16T21:49:21ZengCambridge University PressEpidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences2045-79602045-79792024-01-013310.1017/S2045796024000817Twelve-month follow-up of a controlled trial of a brief behavioural intervention to reduce psychological distress in young adolescent Syrian refugeesRichard A. Bryant0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9607-819XRand Habashneh1Maha Ghatasheh2Aiysha Malik3Ibrahim Said Aqel4Katie S. Dawson5Sarah Watts6Mark J. D. Jordans7Felicity L. Brown8Mark van Ommeren9Aemal Akhtar10School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia Brain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, AustraliaKing Hussein Foundation, Institute for Family Health, Amman, AMM, JordanKing Hussein Foundation, Institute for Family Health, Amman, AMM, JordanDepartment of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, World Health Organization, Geneva, SwitzerlandKing Hussein Foundation, Institute for Family Health, Amman, AMM, JordanSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, AustraliaKing Hussein Foundation, Institute for Family Health, Amman, AMM, JordanResearch and Development Department, War Child Alliance, Amsterdam, the Netherlands Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the NetherlandsResearch and Development Department, War Child Alliance, Amsterdam, the NetherlandsKing Hussein Foundation, Institute for Family Health, Amman, AMM, JordanSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia King Hussein Foundation, Institute for Family Health, Amman, AMM, Jordan Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the NetherlandsAbstract Aims The majority of studies of mental health interventions for young adolescents have only evaluated short-term benefits. This study evaluated the longer-term effectiveness of a non-specialist delivered group-based intervention (Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions; EASE) to improve young adolescents’ mental health. Methods In this single-blind, parallel, controlled trial, Syrian refugees aged 10-14 years in Jordan who screened positive for psychological distress were randomised to receive either EASE or enhanced usual care (EUC). Primary outcomes were scores on the Paediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) assessed at Week 0, 8-weeks, 3-months, and 12 months after treatment. Secondary outcomes were disability, posttraumatic stress, school belongingness, wellbeing, and caregivers’ reports of distress, parenting behaviour, and their perceived children’s mental health. Results Between June, 2019 and January, 2020, 185 adolescents were assigned to EASE and 286 to EUC, and 149 (80.5%) and 225 (78.7%) were retained at 12 months, respectively. At 12 months there were no significant differences between treatment conditions, except that EASE was associated with less reduction in depression (estimated mean difference -1.6, 95% CI –3.2 to -0.1; p=.03; effect size, -0.3), and a greater sense of school belonging (estimated mean difference -0.3, 95% CI –5.7 to -0.2; p=.03; effect size, 5.0). Conclusions Although EASE led to significant reductions in internalising problems, caregiver distress, and harsh disciplinary parenting at 3-months, these improvements were not maintained at 12 months relative to EUC. Scalable psychological interventions for young adolescents need to consider their ongoing mental health needs. Prospectively registered: ACTRN12619000341123. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2045796024000817/type/journal_articleadolescentscontrolled trialinternalisingpsychological treatmentrefugees |
| spellingShingle | Richard A. Bryant Rand Habashneh Maha Ghatasheh Aiysha Malik Ibrahim Said Aqel Katie S. Dawson Sarah Watts Mark J. D. Jordans Felicity L. Brown Mark van Ommeren Aemal Akhtar Twelve-month follow-up of a controlled trial of a brief behavioural intervention to reduce psychological distress in young adolescent Syrian refugees Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences adolescents controlled trial internalising psychological treatment refugees |
| title | Twelve-month follow-up of a controlled trial of a brief behavioural intervention to reduce psychological distress in young adolescent Syrian refugees |
| title_full | Twelve-month follow-up of a controlled trial of a brief behavioural intervention to reduce psychological distress in young adolescent Syrian refugees |
| title_fullStr | Twelve-month follow-up of a controlled trial of a brief behavioural intervention to reduce psychological distress in young adolescent Syrian refugees |
| title_full_unstemmed | Twelve-month follow-up of a controlled trial of a brief behavioural intervention to reduce psychological distress in young adolescent Syrian refugees |
| title_short | Twelve-month follow-up of a controlled trial of a brief behavioural intervention to reduce psychological distress in young adolescent Syrian refugees |
| title_sort | twelve month follow up of a controlled trial of a brief behavioural intervention to reduce psychological distress in young adolescent syrian refugees |
| topic | adolescents controlled trial internalising psychological treatment refugees |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2045796024000817/type/journal_article |
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