Mental Health Interventions for Refugees and Forcibly Displaced Populations: A Systematic Review of Effectiveness, Implementation, and Nursing Implications

Abstract

This report presents a detailed analysis of 10 peer-reviewed articles examining mental health interventions for refugee populations published between 2020 and 2025. The reviewed literature encompasses diverse methodological approaches, including randomized controlled trials (20%), qualitative studies (30%), and mixed-methods designs (30%), with sample sizes ranging from 17 to 2,021 participants (mean = 458.5). The analysis reveals a growing emphasis on evidence-based interventions targeting depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and functional impairment among refugee populations across different age groups and cultural contexts. Key findings indicate that while several interventions demonstrated short-term efficacy, particularly WHO-developed programs such as Self-Help Plus and Step-by-Step, as well as trauma-focused therapies such as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and empowerment group therapy, challenges remained regarding long-term sustainability, cultural adaptation, and implementation in resource-constrained settings. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) depression scale emerged as the most frequently used outcome measure, appearing in 40% of the studies and reflecting the field’s focus on depressive symptoms. This review identifies critical gaps in sustained intervention effects, the need for culturally responsive implementation frameworks, and the importance of addressing contextual stressors that affect refugee mental health outcomes.