SP3: Internet-based versus face-to-face transdiagnostic treatment for mental health problems in Arabic-speaking refugees | Forschungsverbund psychologische Gesundheit Geflüchteter

Planning

Implementation

Completion

The aim of subproject SP3 is to evaluate the effectiveness and acceptance of the treatment program (ALMAMAR) developed in the preceding subproject SP2 in an internet-based variant in comparison to a face-to-face intervention and a wait-list control group. It will also be investigated which persons of the refugees benefit from an internet-based version and for whom a face-to-face intervention is more suitable.

ALMAMAR is based on the "Common Elements Treatment Approach" (CETA). This transdiagnostic approach is not limited to a specific mental disorder (e.g. post-traumatic stress disorder), but allows treatment of refugees with different mental health problems.

With the help of a large-scale study (RCT), the following questions are examined:

Is the internet-based ALMAMAR intervention just as effective as the classic, face-to-face version of ALMAMAR?
Are both variants of ALMAMAR more effective than no intervention at all (wait-list control group)?
What are the factors that influence ALMAMAR's effectiveness?
How satisfied are the participants with the intervention?

Additional study information

The study evaluates the effectiveness of the CETA-based online intervention (MAHARA) developed by SP2 for Arabic-speaking refugees in a three-arm RCT with non-inferiority design. The aim is to include 320 participants in the study (f2f: 140; online: 140; wait-list: 40).

Objectives of the study are:

Verification of the non-inferiority of the internet based CETA version compared to the face-to-face version
Verification of the superiority of both active variants compared to a wait-list control group
Examination of potential moderators of face-to-face and online interventions
Examination of the satisfaction with the treatment

The following timeline schematically describes the course of the randomized control group study to evaluate the efficacy of CETA/ALMAMAR interventions. Some phases of the study, e.g. recruitment and data collection, may occur simultaneously.

CETA- Training and formative research

Training of the project team in CETA, implementation of therapies for training purposes, involvement in the development of the interventions in SP2

Training of therapists, interviewers and interpreters

Pilot study

Recruitment and screening of participants

Data collection / implementation of therapies

The intervention comprises 6 - 11 modules and lasts about 6 - 12 weeks

Statistical Data Analysis & Publication