Study Protocol of a feasibility and acceptability trial of Problem Management Plus with Emotional Processing (PM+EP) for forcibly displaced youth living in Sweden.

Abstract

Heightened rates of mental illness among children, young people and forcibly displaced adults are well-documented. Despite this, access to care in host countries is often low. Problem-management plus (PM+) is an intervention developed by the WHO that can be delivered through task-shifting by lay counsellors and has been shown to be effective in numerous studies. At the same time, it has been shown that PM+ has a limited effect on traumatic stress symptoms, a common problem among forcibly displaced individuals. In turn, to further these benefits, a novel emotional processing (EP) module has been developed to be adjunctively delivered alongside PM+(PM+EP). The current study is a randomised controlled feasibility and acceptability study. 60 participants aged 16-25 will be randomly allocated to either PM+, PM+EP or care as usual. The primary outcome of this study will be the feasibility and acceptability of the delivery of PM+EP in forcibly displaced youth. Secondary outcomes are self-rated measures of distress, depression and anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, personally identified problems, hope, use of services and medications, general well-being and social support. Following ethical approval in February 2024, recruitment commenced in October 2024. Study completion is anticipated by December 2025. Findings will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and communication with relevant stakeholders. NCT06878092.