Creating an Empirically Informed Mental Health Workbook for Racialised Newcomer Youth in Saskatchewan:...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Immigration significantly impacts newcomer youth mental health due to challenges like cultural adaptation and social exclusion.
• Developing accessible self-care tools is crucial for improving the well-being of racialised newcomer youth.
• Photovoice offers a participatory method to explore and address mental health issues within marginalized communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the mental health struggles of racialised newcomers and identify coping mechanisms.
• To develop and pilot a self-care workbook tailored to the experiences of racialised newcomer youth.
• To enhance mental health literacy and self-care agency among immigrant youth.

Main Methods:

• Utilised the photovoice approach, involving a working group of racialised newcomers with lived experience.
• Developed a workbook incorporating psychoeducation on mental illness risks, stress, depression, anxiety, and coping strategies.
• Pilot tested the workbook with 13 racialised newcomers experiencing self-reported mental illness symptoms.

Main Results:

• Participants reported increased mental health literacy and validation of their experiences.
• Journaling provided catharsis, and the workbook encouraged better stress response and habitual self-care practices.
• The workbook effectively addressed immigration-related mental health stressors and promoted well-being boosters.

Conclusions:

• A photovoice-informed workbook can empower racialised newcomers to enhance their self-care practices.
• Psychoeducation and validated experiences are key to increasing agency and fostering hope in immigrant youth.
• This approach validates experiences, promotes catharsis, and encourages proactive mental well-being strategies.