Culturally Adapted iCBT for Arabic-speaking Refugee and Migrant Youth With Common Mental Health Problems (RAHA)

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Culturally Adapted iCBT for Arabic-speaking Refugee Youth With Common Mental Health Problems

The aim of the current study is to explore whether culturally adapted internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy is effective in reducing the symptoms of various common mental health problems among Arabic-speaking refugee and migrant youth. We hypothesize that the symptoms of the psychological problems will significantly be reduced among youth who will receive iCBT compared to youth in the control group.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Stress; Insomnia; Anxiety; Depressive Symptoms; Marital Relationship; Resilience; Psychological Trauma; Grief; Psychological Well-Being
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Culturally Adapted iCBT

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 125
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Sweden
  • Stockholm, Sweden
    • Karolinska Institutet

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Between the ages of 15 and 29.
• A score above the cut-off 1.75 on HSCL-25
• Has a refugee or migrant background
• Has a good and stable internet connection
• Has access to a computer, a tablet or a smartphone
• Is fluent in reading and writing Arabic
• Has the ability to dedicate time to take part in the intervention for 6-10 weeks.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Is suffering from a severe mental illness, such as psychosis or severe depression.
• Is suffering from substance abuse
• Is undergoing a psychological treatment
• Has a high risk of suicide

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Active group; Tailored iCBT for mild to moderate common mental health problems over a period ranging from 6 to 10 weeks.	Behavioral: Culturally Adapted iCBT; A culturally adapted iCBT targeting mild to moderate mental health problems among Arabic-speaking refugee and migrant youth.
No Intervention: Waiting-list; control group

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
HSCL-25	Assessment of anxiety and depressive symptoms	Pre-intervention, during the intervention, immediately after the intervention, 6 months after completion of the intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
PHQ-9	assessment of depressive symptoms	Pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, 6 months after completion of the intervention
PSYCHLOPS	Impact of problematic area on function	Pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, 6 months after completion of the intervention
ISI	Assessment of severity of insomnia	Pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, 6 months after completion of the intervention
PG-13	Assessment of prolonged grief disorder	Pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, 6 months after completion of the intervention
PCL-5	assessment of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder	Pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, 6 months after completion of the intervention
WHO-5	assessment of subjective psychological well-being	Pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, 6 months after completion of the intervention
BRS	assessment of resilience	Pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, 6 months after completion of the intervention

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
CSQ	assessment of the levels of satisfaction of the participant with the intervention	immediately after the intervention, 6 months after completion of the intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Karolinska Institutet
• Collaborators: Linkoeping University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Gerhard Andersson, PhD, Linkoeping University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Lindegaard T, Wasteson E, Demetry Y, Andersson G, Richards D, Shahnavaz S. Investigating the potential of a novel internet-based cognitive behavioural intervention for Dari and Farsi speaking refugee youth: A feasibility study. Internet Interv. 2022 Apr 1;28:100533. doi: 10.1016/j.invent.2022.100533. eCollection 2022 Apr.
• Demetry Y, Wasteson E, Lindegaard T, Abuleil A, Geranmayeh A, Andersson G, Shahnavaz S. Individually Tailored and Culturally Adapted Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Arabic-Speaking Youths With Mental Health Problems in Sweden: Qualitative Feasibility Study. JMIR Form Res. 2023 Nov 24;7:e46253. doi: 10.2196/46253.

Helpful Links

• Registration page
• About the research project

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 27, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 31, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): August 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 11, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 20, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): October 26, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 12, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 5, 2025
• Last Verified: January 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Cognitive behavioral therapy; youth; Resilience; Psychological well-being; Refugee; migrant; mental problems
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders; Nervous System Diseases; Mental Disorders; Behavioral Symptoms; Sleep Wake Disorders; Sleep Disorders, Intrinsic; Dyssomnias; Stress Disorders, Traumatic; Behavior; Personal Satisfaction; Psychological Trauma; Anxiety Disorders; Depression; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders; Psychological Well-Being
• Other Study ID Numbers: KI-CNS-230918

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No