Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy

A stepped care model to promote mental health in refugees

This study is intended to support young refugees in maintaining their mental health and to improve medical and psychotherapeutic care for refugees in Germany.

The model of stepped care (basic care for mild symptoms and specific care for severe symptoms) is to be reviewed and later transferred to routine care.

Methodology

Controlled cluster-randomized cohort-study (as a Stepped Care and Collaborative Model)

After a screening interview, the participants are assessed by means of questionnaires with regard to the presence of clinically relevant psychiatric symptoms. They are then randomly assigned to one of the following groups:

• general examination by doctors and/or therapists (treatment as usual)
• stepped care: conventional care ("watchful waiting"), smartphone-based intervention, group training ("START") or individual psychotherapy.