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Summary PDF: How Can Participatory Research Methods Be Used To Improve Research With Refugees?

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   Monitoring and Evaluation
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   Evaluation and Research
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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 also be central themes to participatory research: Researchers should encourage community members to share their strengths and build new skills that could lead to better understanding of community needs and potential solutions to address community-identified issues

 

Refugee service providers can use the elements of participatory research in programmatic development.

  • Participatory research methods are adaptable by nature, allowing providers and researchers to change the project direction as needs are identified
  • Partnerships should involve an iterative process that allows community members to provide feedback and guidance in programmatic development
  • Power dynamics and the ethics of participation for community members need to be closely watched and controlled for through open communication and mitigation of any potential negative impacts

Post TitleStrength of EvidenceType of StudyDirection of Evidence
Implementing a psychosocial support group in U.S. refugee resettlementSuggestiveSuggestive evidencePositive impact
Social-capital-based mental health interventions for refugees: A systematic reviewStrongSystematic reviewPositive impact
A scoping review of social support interventions with refugees in resettlement contexts: Implications for practice an applied researchStrongSystematic reviewPositive impact
Effectiveness of a peer-based intervention on loneliness and social isolation of older Chinese immigrants in Canada: A randomized controlled trialModerateImpact evaluationPositive impact
Fostering resilience and belongingness among students with refugee backgroundsSuggestiveSuggestive evidenceN/A
A randomized control trial to test peer support group approach for reducing social isolation and depression among female Mexican immigrantsSuggestiveSuggestive evidenceN/A
A community-based intervention to enhance posttraumatic growth among refugees in receiving societiesSuggestiveSuggestive evidenceN/A
Peer support groups and peer mentoring in refugee adolescents and young adults: A literature reviewSuggestiveSuggestive evidencePositive impact
How effective is group intervention in the treatment for unaccompanied and accompanied refugee minors with mental health difficulties: A systematic reviewStrongSystematic reviewPositive impact
Intimate partner violence prevention and intervention group-format programs for immigrant Latinas: A systematic reviewStrongSystematic reviewPositive impact

Studies included in the database focused on high-income or upper middle-income countries, including but not limited to the United States. Studies included must have been published since 2000. To identify evidence related to peer support groups among refugees, we searched the following websites and databases using the following population, methodology, and target intervention terms:

Websites and Databases Population Terms Methodology Terms Target Intervention Terms
Campbell Collaboration
Cochrane Collaboration
Mathematica Policy Research
Evidence Aid
Urban Institute
Migration Policy Institute
HHS OPRE
Medline ASSIA
Social Services Abstracts
Social Work Abstracts
ReliefWeb
ALNAP		 refugeeOR
“unaccompanied minor”
OR
asylee
OR
“temporary protected status”
OR
“victims of traffick*”
OR
“traffick* victims”
ORT
-Visa
OR
U-Visa
OR
Cuban
OR
Haitian
OR
Amerasian		 evaluation
OR
impact
OR
program
OR
intervention
OR
policy
OR
project
OR
therapy
OR
treatment
OR
counseling
OR
workshop
OR
review
OR
meta-analysis
OR
synthesis		 “support group”

For databases or websites that permitted only basic searches, free-text terms and limited term combinations were selected out of the lists above, and all resultant studies were reviewed for relevance. Conversely, for databases or websites with advanced search capability, we made use of relevant filters available. All search terms were searched in the title and abstract fields only in order to exclude studies that made only passing mention of the topic under consideration. After initial screening, Switchboard evidence mapping is prioritized as follows: First priority is given to meta-analyses and systematic reviews, followed by individual impact evaluations when no meta-analyses or systematic reviews are available. Evaluations that are rated as impact evidence are considered before those rated as suggestive, with the latter only being included for outcomes where no evidence is available from the former.