Overcoming barriers to mental health care: multimodal trauma-focused treatment approach for unaccompanied refugee minors

C.M. van Es; M. Sleijpen; M.E. Velu; P.A. Boelen; R.E. van Loon; M. Veldman; N. Kusmallah; P.J.C. Ekster; T. Mooren

doi:10.1186/s13034-021-00404-3

Overcoming barriers to mental health care: multimodal trauma-focused treatment approach for unaccompanied refugee minors

C.M. van Es^*, M. Sleijpen, M.E. Velu, P.A. Boelen, R.E. van Loon, M. Veldman, N. Kusmallah, P.J.C. Ekster, T. Mooren

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Background: This study evaluated the feasibility of a short-term, multimodal trauma-focused treatment approach adapted specifically for unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) in the Netherlands. This approach aims to overcome barriers to mental health care and to reduce symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.

Methods: An uncontrolled study was conducted, evaluating the main request for help, treatment integrity and feasibility, and the course of symptoms of PTSD (Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale-13) and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire modified for Adolescents).

Results: In total, 41 minors were included in the study. Most participants were male (n = 27), predominately from Eritrea (75.6%) with a mean age of 16.5 (SD = 1.5). Minors mostly reported psychological problems, such as problems sleeping, and psychosocial problems, including worries about family reunification. Deviations from the approach were made to meet the current needs of the minors. Factors limiting the feasibility of the approach were often related to continuous stressors, such as news concerning asylum status.

Conclusions: The results provide a first indication that this approach partly overcomes barriers to mental health care and emphasize the added value of collaborating with intercultural mediators and offering outreach care. Trial registration: The study was registered in the Netherlands Trial Register (NL8585), 10 April 2020, Retrospectively registered, https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/8585.

Original language	English
Article number	53
Pages (from-to)	1-14
Number of pages	14
Journal	Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health
Volume	15
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-021-00404-3
Publication status	Published - 30 Sept 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Asylum, Migration and Immigration Fund (AMIF) under project number 2017EFA2017.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).

Funding

This work was supported by the Asylum, Migration and Immigration Fund (AMIF) under project number 2017EFA2017.

Keywords

Barriers
Feasibility
Trauma-focused treatment approach
Treatment integrity
Unaccompanied refugee minors

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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van Es, C. M., Sleijpen, M., Velu, M. E., Boelen, P. A., van Loon, R. E., Veldman, M., Kusmallah, N., Ekster, P. J. C., & Mooren, T. (2021). Overcoming barriers to mental health care: multimodal trauma-focused treatment approach for unaccompanied refugee minors. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 15(1), 1-14. Article 53. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-021-00404-3

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note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the Asylum, Migration and Immigration Fund (AMIF) under project number 2017EFA2017. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021, The Author(s).",

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AU - Velu, M.E.

AU - Boelen, P.A.

AU - van Loon, R.E.

AU - Veldman, M.

AU - Kusmallah, N.

AU - Ekster, P.J.C.

AU - Mooren, T.

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Overcoming barriers to mental health care: multimodal trauma-focused treatment approach for unaccompanied refugee minors

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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