Perceived Need for a Faith-Based Trauma-Focused Treatment in a Sample of Forcibly Displaced Muslims

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Sociology
• Psychology

Background:

• Forcibly displaced Muslims face significant trauma and high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Inequitable access to quality mental health services is a major challenge for this population.
• Culturally-responsive, trauma-focused interventions are crucial for addressing their psychological needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To understand factors associated with perceived needs for mental health interventions among forcibly displaced Muslims.
• To identify domains of perceived need (community, individual, friends/family) for trauma healing groups.
• To inform the development of accessible and effective psychological treatments.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 108 forcibly displaced Muslims completed assessments.
• Perceived needs across community, individual, and social domains were evaluated.
• The relationship between PTSD severity and perceived need was analyzed.
• Differences in perceived need based on displacement type (internal vs. external) were examined.

Main Results:

• Participants reported moderate to high perceived need across all domains for a trauma healing group.
• PTSD severity was associated with perceived individual need, irrespective of displacement origin.
• For those with minimal PTSD symptoms, external displacement correlated with higher perceived community and social support needs.

Conclusions:

• Culturally-responsive, trauma-focused mental health services are essential for forcibly displaced Muslims.
• Addressing perceived needs in individual, community, and social domains can improve access to care.
• Interventions should consider the impact of displacement type and PTSD severity on help-seeking behaviors.