Scalable Psychological Interventions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Effectiveness and Secondary Analysis of Group Psychological Interventions for Refugees

The aim of this dissertation was to contribute to the understanding of the effectiveness of low-intensity psychological interventions in low- and middle-income countries. The first part of the dissertation presents work undertaken to determine the effectiveness of a group psychological intervention for adults, Group Problem Management Plus (gPM+), in alleviating psychological distress and symptoms of common mental disorders among Syrian refugees residing in a camp setting. The second part presents research related to the effectiveness of the Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions (EASE) intervention among adolescents living in urban districts of Amman, Jordan. In both sections, results of two randomised controlled trials are presented, as well as the preliminary research looking at cultural adaptation procedures and feasibility trials of both interventions. The final section presents secondary analyses exploring additional methods of utilising data gathered during randomised controlled trials.