Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34983461›Full record

Trial reportBMC psychiatry2022

Group problem management plus (PM+) to decrease psychological distress among Syrian refugees in Turkey: a pilot randomised controlled trial.

C Acarturk, E Uygun, Z Ilkkursun, T Yurtbakan, G Kurt, J Adam-Troian, I Senay, R Bryant, P Cuijpers, N Kiselev and 7 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC psychiatry, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03567083 (STRENGTHS), which is not on this map. Cited by 37 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
37citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT03567083 nacompletednot on this map

STRENGTHS: Fostering Responsive Mental Health Systems in the Syrian Refugee Crisis - The Turkey Site

TypeinterventionalSponsorIstanbul Sehir UniversityRan2018 to 2019Enrolled46ConditionsAnxiety, Depression, Posttraumatic Stress DisorderArmsProblem Management Plus (PM+)
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

37 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  13. Peer-Led Models Focussed on Emotional Distress and Suicide Prevention: A Scoping Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

C AcarturkDepartment of Psychology, Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey. cacarturk@ku.edu.tr.
E UygunTrauma and Disaster, Mental Health, Bilgi University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Z IlkkursunDepartment of Psychology, Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey.
T YurtbakanDepartment of Psychology, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey.
G KurtDepartment of Psychology, Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey.
J Adam-TroianDepartment of International Studies, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
I SenayDepartment of Psychology, Istanbul Sehir University, Istanbul, Turkey.
R BryantSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
P CuijpersDepartment of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
N KiselevDepartment of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
D McDaidDepartment of Health Policy, Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK.
N MorinaDepartment of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Z NisanciDepartment of Applied Sociology, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey.
A L ParkDepartment of Health Policy, Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK.
M SijbrandijDepartment of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
P VentevogelUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Public Health Section, Genève, Switzerland.
D C FuhrDepartment of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSyrian refugees resettled in Turkey show a high prevalence of symptoms of mental disorders. Problem Management Plus (PM+) is an effective psychological intervention delivered by non-specialist health care providers which has shown to decrease psychological distress among people exposed to adversity. In this single-blind pilot randomised controlled trial, we examined the methodological trial procedures of Group PM+ (gPM+) among Syrian refugees with psychological distress in Istanbul, Turkey, and assessed feasibility, acceptability, perceived impact and the potential cost-effectiveness of the intervention.

methodsRefugees with psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, K10 > 15) and impaired psychosocial functioning (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule, WHODAS 2.0 > 16) were recruited from the community and randomised to either gPM+ and enhanced care as usual (E-CAU) (n = 24) or E-CAU only (n = 22). gPM+ comprised of five weekly group sessions with eight to ten participants per group. Acceptability and feasibility of the intervention were assessed through semi-structured interviews. The primary outcome at 3-month follow-up was symptoms of depression and anxiety (Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-25). Psychosocial functioning (WHODAS 2.0), symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and self-identified problems (Psychological Outcomes Profiles, PSYCHLOPS) were included as secondary outcomes. A modified version of the Client Service Receipt Inventory was used to document changes in the costs of health service utilisation as well as productivity losses.

resultsThere were no barriers experienced in recruiting study participants and in randomising them into the respective study arms. Retention in gPM+ was high (75%). Qualitative analyses of the interviews with the participants showed that Syrian refugees had a positive view on the content, implementation and format of gPM+. No adverse events were reported during the implementation. The study was not powered to detect an effect. No significant difference between gPM+ and E-CAU group on primary and secondary outcome measures, or in economic impacts were found.

conclusionsgPM+ delivered by non-specialist peer providers seemed to be an acceptable, feasible and safe intervention for Syrian refugees in Turkey with elevated levels of psychological distress. This pilot RCT sets the stage for a fully powered RCT.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03567083 ; date: 25/06/2018.

Indexed as

Psychological DistressRefugeesHumansPilot ProjectsSingle-Blind MethodSyriaTurkeyCommon mental health problemsFeasibilityGroup interventionPilotRandomised controlled trialRefugeesTask sharing

Identifiers

PMID34983461
PMCPMC8728921

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.