The following is a summary of “Psychological interventions for refugees with depression: a systematic literature review,” published in the January 2025 issue of Psychiatry by Uhr et al. 

Global crises are driving more people to seek refuge in other countries. Many refugees suffer from depression due to traumatic experiences and require psychological care. 

Researchers conducted a prospective study to examine psychological interventions for refugees with depression. 

They conducted a systematic search across MEDLINE, Web of Science, and PsycINFO for trials of psychological interventions for adult refugees with depression. Relevant data from original journal publications were extracted, synthesized, and qualitatively assessed by 2 independent raters. The methodological quality of the included trials was also evaluated. 

The results showed that out of 1,316 publications, 20 studies met the eligibility criteria. About 9 trials were individual-based, 10 were group-based, and 1 was digital. The 9 studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 1 using an active control group and 9 using an interpreter. Multimodal treatments were applied in 3 studies; 16 used manualized treatments, and 17 interventions were adaptations of programs from high-income countries. Significant improvements were reported in 19 of the 20 trials in depressive symptoms. Culturally adapted cognitive behavioral therapy (CA-CBT) was used in 4 RCTs and showed large effect sizes. All trials had study design limitations. 

Investigators concluded that psychological interventions, particularly CA-CBT, significantly improved depressive symptoms in refugees. However, the limited number of trials and study design flaws highlighted the need for further research. 

Source: bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-024-06447-y