Article Accepted Manuscript

Description of a culture-sensitive, low-threshold psychoeducation intervention for asylum seekers (Tea Garden)

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Mewes, Ricarda
Giesebrecht, Julia
Weise, Cornelia
Grupp, Freyja

Abstract / Description

Background: Asylum seekers often suffer from high levels of mental distress. However, as a result of a lack of knowledge about mental health and health care, as well as cultural and language barriers, the utilization of mental health care in Western host countries is often difficult for these individuals. Reducing these barriers may thus be a crucial first step towards appropriate mental health care. Previous research showed that psychoeducation may be helpful in this regard. Method: The current manuscript describes a short, low-threshold and transdiagnostic intervention named ‘Tea Garden (TG)’. The TG aims to increase specific knowledge about mental health problems and available treatments, and may improve psychological resilience and self-care. In this manuscript, we specifically focus on culturally sensitive facets, following the framework proposed by Heim and colleagues (submitted), and lessons learned from three independent pilot evaluations (Ns=31; 61; 20). Results: The TG was found to be feasible and quantitative results showed that it was helpful for male and female asylum seekers from different countries of origin (e.g., Afghanistan, Syria, Pakistan, Iraq) and with different educational levels. Interestingly, even asylum seekers who had already been in Germany or Austria for three or more years benefited from the TG. Conclusion: The TG specifically aims to be culture-sensitive rather than culture-specific, to be transdiagnostic rather than focused on specific mental disorders, and to be suitable for asylum seekers who are still in the insecure process of applying for asylum. It may also be helpful for distressed asylum seekers who do not fulfill the criteria for a mental disorder, and for healthy asylum seekers who could use the knowledge gained in the TG to help others.

Keyword(s)

asylum seekers culture-sensitive knowledge mental health (care) psychoeducation transdiagnostic

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2021-05-20

Journal title

Clinical Psychology in Europe

Publisher

PsychArchives

Publication status

acceptedVersion

Review status

reviewed

Is version of

Citation

Mewes, R., Giesebrecht, J., Weise, C., & Grupp, F. (in press). Description of a culture-sensitive, low-threshold psychoeducation intervention for asylum seekers (Tea Garden)[Author accepted manuscript]. Clinical Psychology in Europe. http://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.4854
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Mewes, Ricarda
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Giesebrecht, Julia
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Weise, Cornelia
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Grupp, Freyja
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2021-05-20T10:01:17Z
  • Made available on
    2021-05-20T10:01:17Z
  • Date of first publication
    2021-05-20
  • Abstract / Description
    Background: Asylum seekers often suffer from high levels of mental distress. However, as a result of a lack of knowledge about mental health and health care, as well as cultural and language barriers, the utilization of mental health care in Western host countries is often difficult for these individuals. Reducing these barriers may thus be a crucial first step towards appropriate mental health care. Previous research showed that psychoeducation may be helpful in this regard. Method: The current manuscript describes a short, low-threshold and transdiagnostic intervention named ‘Tea Garden (TG)’. The TG aims to increase specific knowledge about mental health problems and available treatments, and may improve psychological resilience and self-care. In this manuscript, we specifically focus on culturally sensitive facets, following the framework proposed by Heim and colleagues (submitted), and lessons learned from three independent pilot evaluations (Ns=31; 61; 20). Results: The TG was found to be feasible and quantitative results showed that it was helpful for male and female asylum seekers from different countries of origin (e.g., Afghanistan, Syria, Pakistan, Iraq) and with different educational levels. Interestingly, even asylum seekers who had already been in Germany or Austria for three or more years benefited from the TG. Conclusion: The TG specifically aims to be culture-sensitive rather than culture-specific, to be transdiagnostic rather than focused on specific mental disorders, and to be suitable for asylum seekers who are still in the insecure process of applying for asylum. It may also be helpful for distressed asylum seekers who do not fulfill the criteria for a mental disorder, and for healthy asylum seekers who could use the knowledge gained in the TG to help others.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    acceptedVersion
  • Review status
    reviewed
  • Sponsorship
    Parts of this study were funded by the European Refugee Fund (EFF-12-775).
    en_US
  • Citation
    Mewes, R., Giesebrecht, J., Weise, C., & Grupp, F. (in press). Description of a culture-sensitive, low-threshold psychoeducation intervention for asylum seekers (Tea Garden)[Author accepted manuscript]. Clinical Psychology in Europe. http://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.4854
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2625-3410
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/4290
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.4854
  • Language of content
    eng
    en_US
  • Publisher
    PsychArchives
    en_US
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.32872/cpe.4577
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.5794
  • Is related to
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.5030
  • Is related to
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.5794
  • Keyword(s)
    asylum seekers
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    culture-sensitive
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    knowledge
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    mental health (care)
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    psychoeducation
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    transdiagnostic
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Description of a culture-sensitive, low-threshold psychoeducation intervention for asylum seekers (Tea Garden)
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
    en_US
  • Journal title
    Clinical Psychology in Europe
  • Visible tag(s)
    PsychOpen GOLD
    en_US
  • Visible tag(s)
    Accepted Manuscript
    en_US