Video-Assisted Psychotherapy For Refugees: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Global conflicts and humanitarian crises led to an increase in forced migration to Germany in recent years. To improve the mental health care system for refugees and asylum seekers in Germany perspectively, we aim to examine the feasibility of implementing the culturally sensitive group psychotherapy Empowerment for refugees with affective disorders in a video-assisted setting. Empowerment is a culturally sensitive, interpreter-assisted intervention for the treatment of depressive and stress-related symptoms in refugees. Four male refugees from Afghanistan participated in a pilot study. The intervention included 16 modules delivered via video over a 12-week period. The internet connection was frequently unstable and led to organizational challenges. The therapy was feasible in terms of linguistic and interactional aspects. The stability of the internet connection represents the major criterion for a successful implementation of the therapy. Implications for future studies are discussed. Regarding the potential opportunities to improve the mental health care provision to refugees and asylum seekers in the future, the video-assisted therapy concept could be investigated in a randomized controlled trial.