A positive psychology intervention to enhance mental well-being of Syrian refugees in the Netherlands
International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care
ISSN: 1747-9894
Article publication date: 9 February 2024
Issue publication date: 27 February 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Syrian refugees in the Netherlands frequently suffer from mental health problems. It is argued that mental health not only consists of the absence of psychiatric disorders but also of the presence of mental well-being. However, there is little attention to the mental well-being of refugees, and no intervention exists that focuses on fostering the mental well-being of refugees. Therefore, the new culturally sensitive positive psychology intervention “Mosaic” was developed and implemented in collaboration with the target audience and local partners. Mosaic is offered in the Arabic language, and the content is focused on (re)finding purpose in life and (re)discovering life values and subsequently acting upon these values. The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of Mosaic on the mental well-being of Syrians in the Netherlands.
Design/methodology/approach
The effect of Mosaic on the mental well-being of Syrians in the Netherlands is assessed by conducting a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a waitlist control group.
Findings
Postintervention within sample t-tests showed that the intervention group (n = 66) experienced significantly more overall mental well-being, emotional well-being and purpose in life right after participating in the intervention when compared to the preintervention measurement. The effect on purpose in life persisted six months later. These improvements were not found among the control group (n = 60).
Originality/value
Mosaic is the first positive psychology intervention in the Netherlands that was developed for and in collaboration with Syrian refugees. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is also the first study in the Netherlands and one of the first ones in Europe that assesses the effect of positive psychology for refugees specifically.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the ZonMw under Grant 535001002 and by the ESF-SITS under Grant 2017EUSF201438.
Disclosure statement: The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.
Data availability statement: The data that support the findings of this study are available from CBS but restrictions apply to the availability of these data, which were used under license for the current study, and so are not publicly available. Data are, however, available upon reasonable request and with permission of CBS.
Citation
Muller-Dugic, J., Beckers, P. and Braakman, M. (2024), "A positive psychology intervention to enhance mental well-being of Syrian refugees in the Netherlands", International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 20 No. 1, pp. 104-124. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-07-2022-0074
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited