New directions in the mental health care of migrants, including refugees - A randomized controlled trial investigating the efficacy of Value Based Counseling
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Specialized literature has identified a need for evidence-based, low-threshold, short-term, and intra-cultural psychological interventions that can be made available to migrants, including refugees, who suffer from psychological symptoms in host countries. The objective of the present study is to measure the efficacy of Value Based Counseling (VBC) as such an intervention.
METHOD
We conducted a pragmatic, rater-blinded randomized controlled trial employing a pre-post control group design to assess the efficacy of VBC based on a study sample of 103 migrants, including refugees, who resided in Germany at the time. A set of instruments was used to evaluate primary outcome measures of depression, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms, perceived stress, generalized anxiety, and somatic complaints.
RESULTS
Per protocol analysis included 42 participants in the VBC group, and 43 in the waiting list. Compared with participants in the waiting-list group, the VBC group, following an average of four counselling sessions, experienced a clinically meaningful reduction of depression (adjusted difference 7.06, 95% CI [4.86, 9.26], effect size 0.68, p < .001), PTSD (adjusted difference 17.15, 95% CI [10.49, 23.81], effect size 0.76, p < .001), perceived stress (adjusted difference 9.25, 95% CI [6.23, 12.27], effect size 0.75, p < .001), anxiety (adjusted difference 5.34, 95% CI [3.47, 7.20], effect size 0.70, p < .001), and somatic complaints (adjusted difference 5.52, 95%…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 42 participants or records.
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