Findings from the Tushirikiane-4-MH (supporting each other for mental health) mobile health–supported virtual reality randomized controlled trial among urban refugee youth in Kampala, Uganda
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7148910 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Carmen H Logie (0000-0002-8035-433X, University of Toronto, corresponding author), Moses Okumu (0000-0003-2555-3077, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), Zerihun Admassu (0000-0002-1670-8949, University of Toronto), F Mackenzie (0000-0002-3517-8330, University of Toronto), Lesley Gittings (0000-0002-0463-0478, Western University), Jean‐luc Kortenaar (0000-0002-0966-1767, University of Toronto), Jean-Luc Kortenaar, Naimul Khan (0000-0002-8229-0747, Toronto Metropolitan University), Robert Hakiza (0000-0001-7857-9436, African Refuge), Daniel Kibuuka Musoke (0000-0002-2793-1580, International Research Consortium), Aidah Nakitende (0000-0002-2587-8528, International Research Consortium), Brenda Katisi (0000-0002-2775-9565, African Refuge), Peter Kyambadde (0000-0002-9606-218X, Mulago Hospital), Richard A Lester (University of British Columbia), Richard Lester (0000-0003-1759-2236), Lawrence Mbuagbaw (0000-0001-5855-5461, Stellenbosch University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 12 |
| Pages | e12-e12 |
| Publication date | 2025-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Cambridge Prisms Global Mental Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2054-4251 • E-ISSN: 2054-4251 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/gmh.2025.3 |
| PMID | 39935733 |
| OpenAlex | W4406777310 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 60 |
Virtual reality (VR) for mental health promotion remains understudied in low-income humanitarian settings. We examined the effectiveness of VR in reducing depression with urban refugee youth in Kampala, Uganda. This randomized controlled trial assessed VR alone (Arm 1), VR followed by Group Problem Management Plus (GPM+) (Arm 2) and a control group (Arm 3), with a peer-driven and convenience sample of refugee youth aged 16–25 in Kampala. The primary outcome, depression, was measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Secondary outcomes included: mental health literacy, mental health stigma, self-compassion, mental well-being and adaptive coping. Analyses were conducted at three time points (baseline, 8 weeks, 16 weeks) using generalized estimating equations. Among participants ( n = 335, mean age: 20.77, standard deviation: 3.01; cisgender women: n = 158, cisgender men: n = 173, transgender women: n = 4), we found no depression reductions for Arms 1 or 2 at 16 weeks compared with Arm 3. At 16 weeks, mental health literacy was significantly higher for Arm 2 compared with Arm 3, and self-compassion was significantly higher in Arm 1 and Arm 2 compared with Arm 3. VR alongside GPM+ may benefit self-compassion and MHL among urban refugee youth in Kampala, but these interventions were not effective in reducing depression
Mental health · Political science · Psychiatry · Randomized controlled trial · Refugee · Digital Mental Health Interventions · Medicine · Migration, Health and Trauma · Psychology · Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation
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Findings from the Tushirikiane-4-MH (supporting each other for mental health) mobile health–supported virtual reality randomized controlled trial among urban refugee youth in Kampala, Uganda
Self-Compassion
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |