Mental Health Literacy and Mental Health Promotion With Urban Refugee Youth in Kampala, Uganda

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Mental Health
• Interventions: Behavioral: Group PM+; Behavioral: VR + MHL intervention

• Registration Number: NCT05187689
• Lead Sponsor: University of Toronto

Brief Summary

From our previous studies, we know that urban refugee youth commonly report depressive symptoms. The primary aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of youth-tailored interventions to improve mental health literacy and reduce mental health stigma among urban refugee youth in Kampala, Uganda. There will be two intervention arms and one control arm. The first intervention arm will involve a VR experience that focuses on mental health literacy and coping strategies, as well as SMS check-ins from peer navigators (PN) trained in psychological first aid. The second intervention arm will involve an adapted version of the WHO's Group Problem Management Plus. The primary outcomes are to a) increase mental health literacy (knowledge and understanding of mental health generally and of specific disorders; b) increase attitudes towards mental health help-seeking, c) reduce depression, d) increase adaptive coping strategies; e) reduce mental health stigma, f) improve mental wellbeing, and g) increase level of functioning. Participants will complete a pre- and post-intervention survey as well as a follow-up survey.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2021-12-23
• Status Verified: 2022-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-01-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-01-10
• Study First Posted: 2022-01-12
• Last Update Posted: 2022-01-12
• Study Start: 2022-01-31
• Primary Completion: 2022-05-27
• Study Completion: 2022-05-27

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 330

Inclusion Criteria

1. living in one of the 5 informal settlements in Kampala we already work with (Nsambya, Katwe, Rubaga, Kabalagala, Kansanga);
2. self identify as a woman or man (transgender inclusive);
3. identify as a refugee/displaced person/having refugee parents;
4. aged 16-25;
5. own a mobile phone;
6. speak Swahili, Luganda, Kirundi, Kinyarwanda, French or English and can provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Group Problem Management+ and VR/mental health literacy	Group PM+	This arm will participate in an interactive virtual reality experience to learn and practice mental health literacy and psychological first aid skills, supplemented by mhealth SMS with informational bidirectional messages. This arm will also participate in an 5-week Group Problem Management Plus intervention, a group based problem solving intervention.
Virtual reality and mental health literacy intervention	VR + MHL intervention	This arm will participate in an interactive virtual reality experience to learn and practice mental health literacy and psychological first aid skills, supplemented by mhealth SMS with informational bidirectional messages.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Attitudes towards mental health help seeking	change from baseline at 16 weeks	Measured using the Inventory of Attitudes towards Seeking Mental Health Services
Mental Health Stigma	change from baseline at 16 weeks	Measured using the Brief Version of the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) Scale
Mental wellbeing	change from baseline at 16 weeks	Measured using the WHO-Five Wellbeing Scale
Mental health literacy	change from baseline at 16 weeks	Measured using a modified depression literacy scale validated in Low- and Middle- Income Countries (LMICs)
Depression	change from baseline at 16 weeks	Measured using the PHQ-9
Level of functioning	change from baseline at 16 weeks	Measured usingWHO Disability Assessment Schedule
Adaptive coping strategies	change from baseline at 16 weeks	Measured by the Kidcope and Self-Compassion Scale for Youth