A feasibility study of an adapted psychosocial intervention to improve the psychosocial well-being of asylum-seekers families in Montreal—A mixed methods approach

In 2017, Canada hosted over 13 thousand asylum seekers younger than 15 years. In Canada asylum seekers wait on average for two years for the determination of their refugee status. Moreover, asylum seekers are being vulnerablized not only by pre-migration trauma, but also because of the ongoing stressors of resettlement, including legal precarity, racism, discrimination, insecure housing, and other forms of social exclusion. The need for programs that can protect and prevent mental health problems in asylum seekers families is crucial. The ‘Teaching Recovery Techniques’ (TRT) is a promising psychosocial intervention developed for children affected by war. However, little is known about how this intervention is experienced by children and parents, and how, aside from decreasing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, this intervention may support children’s resilience. Indeed, there is limited data on the cultural appropriateness of the intervention. This research will address two urgent gaps: first, the lack of preventive services on the ground for refugee claimant children and families in shelters in Montreal despite the ongoing stressors they face affecting their wellbeing and mental health; and second, the lack of data on the cultural appropriateness, safety, and meaningfulness of the TRT model.

Faculty Supervisor:

Rachel Cardon Kronick

Student:

Partner:

Welcome Collective;Mental Health Research Canada

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Other services (except public administration); Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

McGill University

Program: