{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,12]],"date-time":"2025-10-12T03:26:30Z","timestamp":1760239590224,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"23","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,1]],"date-time":"2020-12-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1606780800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100013274","name":"Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["I2119"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["I2119"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100013274","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Asylum seekers suffer high levels of distress but have restricted access to mental health care. This paper constitutes an evaluation of a psycho-educational group intervention, called AMIN, which was provided at two asylum accommodation centers in Sweden. A mixed-methods approach was used. To assess potential effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility, quantitative outcome measures were combined with qualitative information from interviews with both intervention participants and staff providing the intervention. Potential effectiveness in reducing symptoms of distress and insomnia and in increasing physical quality of life was found, even though the intervention participants suffered from more severe distress than expected. In general, the intervention seemed to be acceptable to both participants and staff, with concrete strategies seeming more meaningful than abstract psychological techniques. Finally, regardless of the asylum process itself being a complicating factor, the intervention seemed feasible to deliver to individuals with different backgrounds and conditions. Taken together, these results indicate that some sessions may need further elaboration, but also that the transition to a randomized control trial is reasonable.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17238953","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,1]],"date-time":"2020-12-01T20:06:09Z","timestamp":1606853169000},"page":"8953","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["A Pilot Study of a Psychoeducational Group Intervention Delivered at Asylum Accommodation Centers\u2014A Mixed Methods Approach"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Anna","family":"Leiler","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Institution of Psychology and Social Work, Mid Sweden University, 831 25 \u00d6stersund, Sweden"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Elisabet","family":"Wasteson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institution of Psychology and Social Work, Mid Sweden University, 831 25 \u00d6stersund, Sweden"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Joanna","family":"Holmberg","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institution of Psychology and Social Work, Mid Sweden University, 831 25 \u00d6stersund, Sweden"},{"name":"Region \u00d6rebro County, 703 54 \u00d6rebro, Sweden"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anna","family":"Bj\u00e4rt\u00e5","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institution of Psychology and Social Work, Mid Sweden University, 831 25 \u00d6stersund, Sweden"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2017.00241","article-title":"Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Resulting from Torture and Other Traumatic Events among Syrian Kurdish Refugees in Kurdistan Region, Iraq","volume":"8","author":"Ibrahim","year":"2017","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"1","article-title":"A crisis of protection and safe passage: Violence experienced by migrants\/refugees travelling along the Western Balkan corridor to Northern Europe","volume":"11","author":"Schillberg","year":"2017","journal-title":"Confl. Health"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"543","DOI":"10.1007\/s00127-018-1651-6","article-title":"Mental health and quality of life among asylum seekers and refugees living in refugee housing facilities in Sweden","volume":"54","author":"Leiler","year":"2019","journal-title":"Soc. Psychiatry Psychiatr. Epidemiol."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Georgiadou, E., Morawa, E., Erim, Y., Georgiadou, E., Morawa, E., and Erim, Y. (2017). High Manifestations of Mental Distress in Arabic Asylum Seekers Accommodated in Collective Centers for Refugees in Germany. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph14060612"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"851","DOI":"10.1016\/j.healthpol.2019.02.007","article-title":"Mental health care utilisation and access among refugees and asylum seekers in Europe: A systematic review","volume":"123","author":"Satinsky","year":"2019","journal-title":"Health Policy"},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) (2007). IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings, IASC."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/20008198.2017.1388102","article-title":"Strengthening mental health care systems for Syrian refugees in Europe and the Middle East: Integrating scalable psychological interventions in eight countries","volume":"8","author":"Sijbrandij","year":"2017","journal-title":"Eur. J. Psychotraumatol."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"467","DOI":"10.1007\/s00787-017-1093-9","article-title":"Teaching Recovery Techniques: Evaluation of a group intervention for unaccompanied refugee minors with symptoms of PTSD in Sweden","volume":"27","author":"Sarkadi","year":"2018","journal-title":"Eur. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"662","DOI":"10.1080\/09638237.2017.1322182","article-title":"A systematic review of psychosocial interventions for adult refugees and asylum seekers","volume":"28","author":"Tribe","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Ment. Health"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"841","DOI":"10.1177\/1363461513511181","article-title":"Current research in transcultural psychiatry in the Nordic countries","volume":"50","author":"Ekblad","year":"2013","journal-title":"Transcult. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"72","DOI":"10.1093\/eurpub\/cku101","article-title":"Recent research on the mental health of immigrants to Sweden: A literature review","volume":"24","author":"Gilliver","year":"2014","journal-title":"Eur. J. Public Health"},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"Milton, R.F., Krueger, E., and Simonsen, E. (2010). On the Wisdom of Considering Culture and Context in Psychopathology. Contemporary Directions in Psychopathology: Scientific Foundations of the DSM-V and ICD-11, Guilford."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"i5239","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.i5239","article-title":"CONSORT 2010 statement: Extension to randomised pilot and feasibility trials","volume":"355","author":"Eldridge","year":"2016","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref_14","unstructured":"Creswell, J.W., and Plano Clark, V.L. (2017). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research, SAGE Publications Inc."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bonevski, B., Randell, M., Paul, C., Chapman, K., Twyman, L., Bryant, J., Brozek, I., and Hughes, C. (2014). Reaching the hard-to-reach: A systematic review of strategies for improving health and medical research with socially disadvantaged groups. BMC Med. Res. Methodol., 14.","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2288-14-42"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"933","DOI":"10.1002\/jclp.10068","article-title":"Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR): Information processing in the treatment of trauma","volume":"58","author":"Shapiro","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Clin. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"874","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2017.00874","article-title":"The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults","volume":"8","author":"Ma","year":"2017","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"215","DOI":"10.1053\/smrv.2001.0246","article-title":"Use of sleep hygiene in the treatment of insomnia","volume":"7","author":"Stepanski","year":"2003","journal-title":"Sleep Med. Rev."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"957","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-006X.68.6.957","article-title":"Efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: Evaluation in a controlled clinical trial","volume":"68","author":"Ladouceur","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Consult. Clin. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"255","DOI":"10.1093\/clipsy.8.3.255","article-title":"Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression: Returning to Contextual Roots","volume":"8","author":"Jacobson","year":"2001","journal-title":"Clin. Psychol. Sci. Pract."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"247","DOI":"10.1097\/NMD.0000000000000469","article-title":"Effective Screening for Emotional Distress in Refugees: The Refugee Health Screener","volume":"204","author":"Hollifield","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Nerv. Ment. Dis."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"834","DOI":"10.1097\/NMD.0000000000000886","article-title":"Assessing Severity of Psychological Distress Among Refugees With the Refugee Health Screener, 13-Item Version","volume":"206","author":"Leiler","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Nerv. Ment. Dis."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"297","DOI":"10.1016\/S1389-9457(00)00065-4","article-title":"Validation of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) as an outcome measure for insomnia research","volume":"2","author":"Bastien","year":"2001","journal-title":"Sleep Med."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"WHOQOL Group (1998). Development of the World Health Organization WHOQOL-BREF Quality of Life Assessment. Psychol. Med., 28, 551\u2013558.","DOI":"10.1017\/S0033291798006667"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"299","DOI":"10.1023\/B:QURE.0000018486.91360.00","article-title":"The World Health Organization\u2019s WHOQOL-BREF quality of life assessment: Psychometric properties and results of the international field trial A Report from the WHOQOL Group","volume":"13","author":"Skevington","year":"2004","journal-title":"Qual. Life Res."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"317","DOI":"10.1080\/09638288.2016.1254283","article-title":"Assessing catastrophic thinking associated with debilitating mental health conditions","volume":"40","author":"Moore","year":"2018","journal-title":"Disabil. Rehabil."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1111\/jabr.12087","article-title":"Treatment-related reductions in catastrophizing predict return to work in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder","volume":"22","author":"Sullivan","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Appl. Biobehav. Res."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.1191\/1478088706qp063oa","article-title":"Using thematic analysis in psychology","volume":"3","author":"Braun","year":"2006","journal-title":"Qual. Res. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"376","DOI":"10.1017\/S2045796019000027","article-title":"Efficacy and acceptability of psychosocial interventions in asylum seekers and refugees: Systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"28","author":"Turrini","year":"2019","journal-title":"Epidemiol. Psychiatr. Sci."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Nos\u00e8, M., Ballette, F., Bighelli, I., Turrini, G., Purgato, M., Wietse, T., Priebe, S., and Barbui, C. (2017). Psychosocial interventions for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in refugees and asylum seekers. PLoS ONE, 12.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0171030"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"410","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1545-5300.2011.01366.x","article-title":"Developing preventive mental health interventions for refugee families in resettlement","volume":"50","author":"Weine","year":"2011","journal-title":"Fam. Process"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"263","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1468-2850.2008.00137.x","article-title":"Acceptance and commitment therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders: Different treatments, similar mechanisms?","volume":"15","author":"Arch","year":"2008","journal-title":"Clin. Psychol. Sci. Pract."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"51","DOI":"10.1080\/08039480500504982","article-title":"Predictors of mental health and quality of life in male tortured refugees","volume":"60","author":"Carlsson","year":"2006","journal-title":"Nord. J. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"602","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.294.5.602","article-title":"Predisplacement and postdisplacement factors associated with mental health of refugees and internally displaced persons","volume":"294","author":"Porter","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Am. Med. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e018899","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2017-018899","article-title":"Prevalence of mental ill health, traumas and postmigration stress among refugees from Syria resettled in Sweden after 2011: A population-based survey","volume":"7","author":"Malm","year":"2017","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"212","DOI":"10.1002\/da.20647","article-title":"Culture and the anxiety disorders: Recommendations for DSM-V","volume":"27","author":"Hinton","year":"2010","journal-title":"Depress. Anxiety"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1108","DOI":"10.1037\/ccp0000044","article-title":"Meta-analysis of dropout from cognitive behavioral therapy: Magnitude, timing, and moderators","volume":"83","author":"Fernandez","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Consult. Clin. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2609","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2016.17165","article-title":"Effect of a multicomponent behavioral intervention in adults impaired by psychological distress in a conflict-affected area of Pakistan: A randomized clinical trial","volume":"316","author":"Rahman","year":"2016","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"576","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1939-0025.2010.01062.x","article-title":"Review of Refugee Mental Health Interventions","volume":"80","author":"Murray","year":"2010","journal-title":"Am. J Orthopsychiatry"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"959","DOI":"10.1503\/cmaj.090292","article-title":"Common mental health problems in immigrants and refugees: General approach in primary care","volume":"183","author":"Kirmayer","year":"2011","journal-title":"Cmaj"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"531","DOI":"10.1037\/0033-3204.43.4.531","article-title":"Culturally adapted mental health intervention: A meta-analytic review. Special issue: Culture, race, and ethnicity in psychotherapy","volume":"43","author":"Griner","year":"2006","journal-title":"Psychotherapy"}],"container-title":["International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/17\/23\/8953\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T10:40:18Z","timestamp":1760179218000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/17\/23\/8953"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,1]]},"references-count":41,"journal-issue":{"issue":"23","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,12]]}},"alternative-id":["ijerph17238953"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijerph17238953","relation":{},"ISSN":["1660-4601"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"1660-4601"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,1]]}}}