Attachment and trauma-informed programme to support forcibly displaced parents of youth in Sweden: feasibility and preliminary outcomes of the programme.

Journal: BMJ open

Volume: 13

Issue: 8

Year of Publication: 2023

Affiliated Institutions:  Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Child Health and Parenting, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala Universitet Institutionen for folkhalso- och vardvetenskap, Uppsala, Sweden. School of Health and Welfare, Hogskolan Dalarna, Falun, Sweden fos@du.se.

Abstract summary 

To assess the feasibility, acceptability and the impact of an online parenting programme for forcibly displaced parents of adolescents.The study was a single-arm feasibility study using pre-intervention post-intervention and follow-up assessments.Participants were recruited from municipality-based activities for refugee parents in a small city in the south of Sweden.Participants were forcibly displaced parents (n=23; 47.8% maternal figures) of youth (n=23; 8-17 years old; 26.1% female) from Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia participating in an online parenting programme (). is an attachment-based and trauma-informed parenting intervention and was delivered over the course of 10 weekly sessions.Feasibility was assessed by programme enrolment, attendance, completion and acceptability of the online platform and cultural fit of the programme. Primary outcome measures were programme impact on youth mental health problems. Secondary outcome measures were programme impact on family functioning and parent-child attachment insecurity.The programme was highly feasible in terms of overall enrolment (100%), attendance (89.6%) and retention rates (100%). The online platform was acceptable, with mixed feedback primarily related to the access and usage of technology. Cultural fit of the programme was acceptable. Youth mental health problems ( =0.29) and family functioning significantly improved ( =0.18) over the course of the programme. Unexpectedly, parent reports of youth attachment insecurity significantly worsened ( =0.16).The findings suggest that the online delivery of was a promising way to reduce barriers to service access and improve mental health problems and family functioning among forcibly displaced parents and their children during COVID-19. Future research is needed to explore the acceptability and impact of this programme post-COVID-19, and to develop culturally tailored and psychometrically sound measures for parent and youth reports of attachment.

Authors & Co-authors:  Kristen Anna A Salari Raziye R Moretti Marlene M Osman Fatumo F

Study Outcome 

Source Link: Visit source

Statistics
Citations :  Refugee statistics . UNHCR Canada. 2022. Available: https://www.unhcr.ca/in-canada/refugee-statistics/
Authors :  4
Identifiers
Doi : e072368
SSN : 2044-6055
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Humans
Other Terms
Adolescent;Feasibility Studies;Health Services Accessibility;MENTAL HEALTH
Study Design
Study Approach
Country of Study
Mali
Publication Country
England