Feasibility and acceptability of Problem Management Plus (PM+) among Syrian refugees and asylum seekers in Switzerland: a mixed-method pilot randomized controlled trial.
Spaaij, Julia;
Kiselev, Nikolai;
Berger, Christine;
Bryant, Richard A;
Cuijpers, Pim;
de Graaff, Anne M;
Fuhr, Daniela C;
Hemmo, Mahmoud;
McDaid, David;
Moergeli, Hanspeter;
+7 more...Park, A-La;
Pfaltz, Monique C;
Schick, Matthis;
Schnyder, Ulrich;
Wenger, Anna;
Sijbrandij, Marit;
Morina, Naser;
(2022)
Feasibility and acceptability of Problem Management Plus (PM+) among Syrian refugees and asylum seekers in Switzerland: a mixed-method pilot randomized controlled trial.
European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 13 (1).
2002027-.
ISSN 2000-8066
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.2002027
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BACKGROUND: Syrian refugees in Switzerland face several barriers in accessing mental health care. Cost-effective psychological interventions are urgently needed to meet the mental health needs of refugees. Problem Management Plus (PM+) is an evidence-based, psychological intervention delivered by trained non-specialist 'helpers'. OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of PM+ among Syrian refugees in Switzerland. METHODS: We conducted a single-blind pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) with Syrian refugees impaired by psychological distress (K10 > 15 and WHODAS 2.0 > 16). Participants were randomized to PM+ or Enhanced Treatment As Usual (ETAU). Participants were assessed at baseline, and 1 week and 3 months after the intervention, and completed measures indexing mental health problems and health care usage. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with different stakeholders. RESULTS: N = 59 individuals were randomized into PM+ (n = 31) or ETAU (n = 28). N = 18 stakeholders were interviewed about facilitators and barriers for the implementation of PM+. Retention rates in the trial (67.8%) and mean intervention attendance (M = 3.94 sessions, SD = 1.97) were high. No severe events related to the study were reported. These findings indicate that the trial procedures and PM+ were feasible, acceptable and safe. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the conduct of a definitive RCT and show that PM+ might have the potential to be scaled-up in Switzerland. The importance, as well as the challenges, of implementing and scaling-up PM+ in high-income countries, such as Switzerland, are discussed.