Addressing challenges faced by young refugees in the Netherlands: Adapting problem management plus (PM+) with an emotional processing module

Young refugees face numerous challenges before, during, and after their journey, leading to higher rates of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. These problems often remain untreated due to barriers like limited services, stigma, and varied distress ex...

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Main Authors: Cansu Alozkan Sever, Pim Cuijpers, Katie S. Dawson, Ellenor Mittendorfer-Rutz, Aemal Akhtar, Richard A. Bryant, Marit Sijbrandij
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2024-01-01
Series:Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health
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Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2054425124000931/type/journal_article
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author Cansu Alozkan Sever
Pim Cuijpers
Katie S. Dawson
Ellenor Mittendorfer-Rutz
Aemal Akhtar
Richard A. Bryant
Marit Sijbrandij
author_facet Cansu Alozkan Sever
Pim Cuijpers
Katie S. Dawson
Ellenor Mittendorfer-Rutz
Aemal Akhtar
Richard A. Bryant
Marit Sijbrandij
author_sort Cansu Alozkan Sever
collection DOAJ
description Young refugees face numerous challenges before, during, and after their journey, leading to higher rates of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. These problems often remain untreated due to barriers like limited services, stigma, and varied distress expressions. One effective scalable intervention that bridges this treatment gap is problem management plus (PM+), a transdiagnostic program delivered by trained nonspecialists. However, PM+ lacks a module directly targeting posttraumatic stress, which is a common problem in young refugees. This study presents the cultural and contextual adaptation process of PM+ for young refugees in the Netherlands that includes a newly developed emotional processing module. Qualitative data collection included free list interviews with youngsters (n = 33), key informant interviews with professionals (n = 9), policymakers (n = 5), key people from communities (n = 10), focus group discussions (n = 11) and one focused interview. A new module targeting distressing memories was developed and reviewed by experts (n = 14). Results supported protocol adaptations, including culturally and age-appropriate language, examples, illustrations and length. This research aims to develop feasible, culturally sensitive mental health interventions tailored to the unique needs of young refugees.
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series Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health
spelling doaj-art-bbccab90d5ee49e782e0fc31bcf6f9992025-08-20T02:09:22ZengCambridge University PressCambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health2054-42512024-01-011110.1017/gmh.2024.93Addressing challenges faced by young refugees in the Netherlands: Adapting problem management plus (PM+) with an emotional processing moduleCansu Alozkan Sever0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1981-4453Pim Cuijpers1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5497-2743Katie S. Dawson2Ellenor Mittendorfer-Rutz3Aemal Akhtar4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8510-3636Richard A. Bryant5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9607-819XMarit Sijbrandij6https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5430-9810Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaDivision of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SwedenDivision of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SwedenSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaDepartment of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsYoung refugees face numerous challenges before, during, and after their journey, leading to higher rates of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. These problems often remain untreated due to barriers like limited services, stigma, and varied distress expressions. One effective scalable intervention that bridges this treatment gap is problem management plus (PM+), a transdiagnostic program delivered by trained nonspecialists. However, PM+ lacks a module directly targeting posttraumatic stress, which is a common problem in young refugees. This study presents the cultural and contextual adaptation process of PM+ for young refugees in the Netherlands that includes a newly developed emotional processing module. Qualitative data collection included free list interviews with youngsters (n = 33), key informant interviews with professionals (n = 9), policymakers (n = 5), key people from communities (n = 10), focus group discussions (n = 11) and one focused interview. A new module targeting distressing memories was developed and reviewed by experts (n = 14). Results supported protocol adaptations, including culturally and age-appropriate language, examples, illustrations and length. This research aims to develop feasible, culturally sensitive mental health interventions tailored to the unique needs of young refugees.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2054425124000931/type/journal_articleAdaptationDistressGlobal mental healthPost traumatic stressWHO
spellingShingle Cansu Alozkan Sever
Pim Cuijpers
Katie S. Dawson
Ellenor Mittendorfer-Rutz
Aemal Akhtar
Richard A. Bryant
Marit Sijbrandij
Addressing challenges faced by young refugees in the Netherlands: Adapting problem management plus (PM+) with an emotional processing module
Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health
Adaptation
Distress
Global mental health
Post traumatic stress
WHO
title Addressing challenges faced by young refugees in the Netherlands: Adapting problem management plus (PM+) with an emotional processing module
title_full Addressing challenges faced by young refugees in the Netherlands: Adapting problem management plus (PM+) with an emotional processing module
title_fullStr Addressing challenges faced by young refugees in the Netherlands: Adapting problem management plus (PM+) with an emotional processing module
title_full_unstemmed Addressing challenges faced by young refugees in the Netherlands: Adapting problem management plus (PM+) with an emotional processing module
title_short Addressing challenges faced by young refugees in the Netherlands: Adapting problem management plus (PM+) with an emotional processing module
title_sort addressing challenges faced by young refugees in the netherlands adapting problem management plus pm with an emotional processing module
topic Adaptation
Distress
Global mental health
Post traumatic stress
WHO
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2054425124000931/type/journal_article
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