Refugees go through an incredibly stressful time: fleeing from their home country, and finding their way in a new country where they also have to deal with all sorts of stressors. And yet, little attention is paid to the mental health of status holders. Muller-Dugic: “If this is addressed at all, it is with traditional treatments aimed at trauma and depression, for example. That is and remains important, but a focus on mental wellbeing is just as important, and that has been lacking until now.”
Syrian refugees
As part of her PhD project, Muller-Dugic not only researched the mental wellbeing of Syrian refugees, but also developed Mosaic, a course aimed at strengthening mental wellbeing and improving participation opportunities. Because research clearly shows that the two often go hand in hand: someone who feels good about themselves is more likely to have a job, and conversely, a good job at your own level improves your mood. The course was developed together with experts by experience and partner organisations such as the Dutch Council for Refugees and Pro Persona.
Mosaic comprises six sessions, in which a group of 10 to 12 participants engage in conversation in their own language with a trainer and an expert by experience. “The first sessions focus primarily on things like what is meaningful to you, and what you do that makes you feel valuable for those around you,” Muller-Dugic explains. “Later on, we also practise talking about life values, setting goals around work and study, social contacts and self-care, and using your strengths on your path towards employment. These are all things that contribute to mental wellbeing, and therefore also to how a person feels about a potential job.”
A job at your own level
Mosaic has now been offered to 180 refugees in six municipalities, including Arnhem and Nijmegen. “Compared to the control group, participants scored higher on mental wellbeing factors, such as overall and emotional wellbeing and a sense of purpose,” Muller-Dugic says about her research. “They were also significantly more confident about their ability to find a job and finding a job at their own level, and they spent more hours on an internship after the course, compared to the control group. These are all factors that make it easier to find a job at your own level.”
Muller-Dugic says her research not only underlines the importance of devoting attention to refugees' mental health and the effectiveness of positive psychology for refugees in doing so, but also how much there is still to be gained. “In this project, we brought together organisations that do not normally work together, and this produced many new insights. It is important that an intervention or course like this is really developed with the target group, rather than just for the target group. This requires investing more time and money, but it also helps to take important steps in reducing the distance to the job market for this vulnerable group.”