Abstract
BackgroundRefugees have an increased risk of developing mental health problems. There are insufficient psychosocial care structures to meet the resulting need for support. Stabilizing and guided imagery techniques have shown promising results in increasing traumatized refugees’ emotional stabilization. If delivered via audio files, the techniques can be practiced autonomously and independent of time, space, and human resources or stable treatment settings.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the self-practice of stabilizing and guided imagery techniques via digital audio files for traumatized refugees living in a reception and registration center in Germany.MethodsFrom May 2018 to February 2019, 42 traumatized refugees participated in our study. At T1, patients received digital audio files in English, French, Arabic, Farsi, Turkish, or Serbian for self-practice. Nine days later, at T2, a face-to-face interview was conducted. Two months after T2, a follow-up interview took place via telephone.ResultsAt T2, about half of the patients reported the daily practice of stabilizing and guided imagery techniques. At follow-up, the average frequency of practice was once weekly or more for those experiencing worse symptoms. No technical difficulties were reported. According to T2 and follow-up statements, the techniques helped the patients dealing with arousal, concentration, sleep, mood, thoughts, empowerment, and tension. The guided imagery technique “The Inner Safe Place” was the most popular. Self-practice was impeded by postmigratory distress factors, like overcrowded accommodations.ConclusionsThe results show that self-practice of stabilizing and guided imagery techniques via digital audio files was helpful to and well accepted by the assessed refugees. Even though postmigratory distress factors hampered self-practice, “The Inner Safe Place” technique was particularly well received. Overall, the self-practiced audio-based stabilizing and guided imagery techniques showed promising results among the highly vulnerable group of newly arrived traumatized refugees.
Highlights
With a prevalence rate of approximately 40%, mental health is a major problem for refugees in their host country [1]
Sample Characteristics A total of 83 patients attending the psychosocial walk-in clinic in Patrick Henry Village” (PHV) were referred to treatment with audio-based stabilizing and guided imagery techniques
This study aimed to investigate the self-practice of stabilizing and guided imagery techniques via digital audio files in newly arrived refugees living in a state registration and reception center
Summary
With a prevalence rate of approximately 40%, mental health is a major problem for refugees in their host country [1]. Providing traumatized refugees with initial stabilizing treatment may be very helpful until the refugees’ surroundings are sufficiently stable for trauma confronting treatment approaches. Stabilizing and guided imagery techniques have shown promising results in increasing traumatized refugees’ emotional stabilization. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the self-practice of stabilizing and guided imagery techniques via digital audio files for traumatized refugees living in a reception and registration center in Germany. Results: At T2, about half of the patients reported the daily practice of stabilizing and guided imagery techniques. Conclusions: The results show that self-practice of stabilizing and guided imagery techniques via digital audio files was helpful to and well accepted by the assessed refugees. The self-practiced audio-based stabilizing and guided imagery techniques showed promising results among the highly vulnerable group of newly arrived traumatized refugees
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