Community engagement in psychosocial interventions with refugees from Asia: A systematic review

Year Published:

Abstract

Refugees and forcibly displaced persons originally from Asia are a growing population facing distinctive stressors that impact individual mental health. Psychosocial interventions that are culturally appropriate for specific refugee communities are needed. Community engaged interventions and research are an effective approach to designing and delivering culturally meaningful interventions to enhance refugee mental health. We conducted a systematic review of the available literature to assess: (a) how frequently Asian refugee communities participate and are engaged in psychosocial interventions, (b) the ways in which Asian refugee communities participate and are engaged (i.e., which phases of the intervention process), (c) the impact of community engagement in these psychosocial interventions, and (d) the barriers for Asian refugee communities participating in the intervention process. Of the 43 included studies, 36 reported community members participating in the intervention or research process, primarily in intervention delivery, data collection, intervention development, and/or participant recruitment and retention. However, only 25 of these studies engaged community members in ways that gave them influence over the intervention and/or research. Additionally, only one study involved community members in both the beginning stages of deciding the research question and the end stages of interpreting findings. We recommend intervention research include more community engagement, specifically including community members in the beginning and end stages of the intervention research process. Additionally, intervention researchers are encouraged to more explicitly detail how community members were involved, how they built and maintained a research relationship with community partners, and the challenges they and community members experienced conducting community-engaged research.

Citation

Relevant Evidence Summaries

The evidence was reviewed and included in the following summaries: 

How can participatory research methods be used to improve research with refugees?

Participatory research methods have been successfully implemented with multiple refugee communities and have covered various topics. General principles of participatory research include viewing community members as co-researchers, creating advisory boards, involving community members in all steps of the research project, and highlighting community expertise on their own lived experiences Community empowerment and skill building should […]

About this study

AGE: Adults

DIRECTION OF EVIDENCE: Positive impact

FULL TEXT AVAILABILITY: Paid

GENDER: All

HOST COUNTRY: United States

HOST COUNTRY INCOME: High

INTERVENTION DURATION: Various

INTERVENTION: CBPR

OUTCOME AREA: N/A

POPULATION: Refugees

REGION OF ORIGIN OF PARTICIPANT(S): Multiple Regions

STRENGTH OF EVIDENCE: Strong

TYPE OF STUDY: Systematic review

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2022

More STUDIES