Evaluating the efficacy of support groups in the metaverse for Ukrainian refugees: a protocol for a randomized clinical trial
Abstract Background The Ukrainian crisis, sparked by the Russian invasion, has generated one of the most extensive refugee crises in modern history. Addressing the mental health challenges of Ukrainian refugees is critical to promoting their resilience and successful integration into host communitie...
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BMC
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Trials |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-024-08543-6 |
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| author | Cezar Giosan Cătălina-Maria Popoviciu Saltanat Zhamaliyeva Iuliana Zaborot George Deac |
| author_facet | Cezar Giosan Cătălina-Maria Popoviciu Saltanat Zhamaliyeva Iuliana Zaborot George Deac |
| author_sort | Cezar Giosan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The Ukrainian crisis, sparked by the Russian invasion, has generated one of the most extensive refugee crises in modern history. Addressing the mental health challenges of Ukrainian refugees is critical to promoting their resilience and successful integration into host communities. Traditional support group interventions might be challenging to implement for geographically dispersed populations, making the metaverse an innovative and inclusive platform for providing much-needed support to such populations. Methods/design Displaced Ukrainian refugee adults (18 years or older) without current psychiatric diagnoses or current involvement in therapeutic interventions are included in the study. Participants are randomized to one of three conditions: (1) Metaverse Support Groups, (2) In-Person Support Groups, or (3) Waitlist. Both intervention groups (Metaverse and In-Person) undergo 5 support group sessions, and data are collected at baseline, mid-intervention, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. Primary outcomes are depressive symptomatology and anxiety. Secondary outcomes are perceived social support, well-being, and gender-based violence awareness. Discussion To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to test the efficacy of support groups in the Metaverse for the Ukrainian refugee population. This study can thus add substantially to the body of knowledge on effective interventions and policies for refugees. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06142032 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06142032 ). Registered on November 8, 2023. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8251e37684244eb3a7c01fe1fd42b3a9 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1745-6215 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Trials |
| spelling | doaj-art-8251e37684244eb3a7c01fe1fd42b3a92025-08-20T02:17:53ZengBMCTrials1745-62152024-10-0125111110.1186/s13063-024-08543-6Evaluating the efficacy of support groups in the metaverse for Ukrainian refugees: a protocol for a randomized clinical trialCezar Giosan0Cătălina-Maria Popoviciu1Saltanat Zhamaliyeva2Iuliana Zaborot3George Deac4Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of BucharestDepartment of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of BucharestDepartment of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of BucharestSensiblu Foundation8Agora, IncAbstract Background The Ukrainian crisis, sparked by the Russian invasion, has generated one of the most extensive refugee crises in modern history. Addressing the mental health challenges of Ukrainian refugees is critical to promoting their resilience and successful integration into host communities. Traditional support group interventions might be challenging to implement for geographically dispersed populations, making the metaverse an innovative and inclusive platform for providing much-needed support to such populations. Methods/design Displaced Ukrainian refugee adults (18 years or older) without current psychiatric diagnoses or current involvement in therapeutic interventions are included in the study. Participants are randomized to one of three conditions: (1) Metaverse Support Groups, (2) In-Person Support Groups, or (3) Waitlist. Both intervention groups (Metaverse and In-Person) undergo 5 support group sessions, and data are collected at baseline, mid-intervention, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. Primary outcomes are depressive symptomatology and anxiety. Secondary outcomes are perceived social support, well-being, and gender-based violence awareness. Discussion To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to test the efficacy of support groups in the Metaverse for the Ukrainian refugee population. This study can thus add substantially to the body of knowledge on effective interventions and policies for refugees. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06142032 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06142032 ). Registered on November 8, 2023.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-024-08543-6 |
| spellingShingle | Cezar Giosan Cătălina-Maria Popoviciu Saltanat Zhamaliyeva Iuliana Zaborot George Deac Evaluating the efficacy of support groups in the metaverse for Ukrainian refugees: a protocol for a randomized clinical trial Trials |
| title | Evaluating the efficacy of support groups in the metaverse for Ukrainian refugees: a protocol for a randomized clinical trial |
| title_full | Evaluating the efficacy of support groups in the metaverse for Ukrainian refugees: a protocol for a randomized clinical trial |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating the efficacy of support groups in the metaverse for Ukrainian refugees: a protocol for a randomized clinical trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating the efficacy of support groups in the metaverse for Ukrainian refugees: a protocol for a randomized clinical trial |
| title_short | Evaluating the efficacy of support groups in the metaverse for Ukrainian refugees: a protocol for a randomized clinical trial |
| title_sort | evaluating the efficacy of support groups in the metaverse for ukrainian refugees a protocol for a randomized clinical trial |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-024-08543-6 |
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