School and community-based interventions for refugee children
Citation: Tyrer RA, Fazel M. School and community-based interventions for refugee and asylum seeking children: a systematic review. PLOS ONE. 2014;9(2):e89359.
Language: Abstract and full text available in EN.
Free to view: Yes.
Funding sources: National Institute for Health and Care Research (UK) post-doctoral fellowship.
What is this? In this systematic review, the authors searched for studies of mental health interventions for refugee and asylum-seeking children aged 2 to 17 years in schools, refugee camps, or community settings. They searched in January 2013 for articles published in any language between 1987 and 2012. The authors included 23 articles from 21 studies in Australia (2), Canada (2), Gaza (1), Germany (1), Iran (1), Sierra Leone (1), Sri Lanka (1), Uganda (4), UK (3), and USA (5).
What works: Verbal processing of past experiences, reflective exercises, self-soothing and distress tolerance skills, clinical management, interpersonal skills and interactions, psycho-education, and creativity and arts were beneficial.
Verbal processing and creative arts interventions showed substantial reductions in depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, functional disturbances, and peer problems. Additionally, verbal processing interventions were effective for anger, traumatic grief, resource hardship, behavioural and emotional problems, hyperactivity, and peer and conduct problems. Creative arts interventions were effective for well-being, emotional, and relationship problems. Individual and group interventions were effective, as were short- and long-term treatments. Evidence for the effectiveness of verbal processing techniques was more robust than that of creative art techniques.
What doesn’t work: Nothing noted.
What is uncertain: Due to the heterogeneity between the interventions and populations, a meta-analysis could not be conducted.
Implications: The authors of the review stated that interventions delivered within school settings were likely to help children overcome difficulties associated with forced migration. Teachers or other members of school staff could be trained to implement preventive and effective psychological interventions.
Other considerations: The authors of the review discussed their results in the context of place of residence.
This summary was prepared by Catherine Haynes, checked by Sydney Johnson, and finalized by William Summerskill.
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