Early intervention in refugee and immigrant families with young children: The Investigation of the effectiveness of the programs
The proposed research project concerns the study of early intervention programs in refugee and immigrant families with young children aged 0-5 years, aiming to investigate their effectiveness. The main research objectives are: (a) the study and evaluation of early intervention programs for refugee and migrant families, b) the development of new specialized interventions that are suited to the needs of this specific population. In this context, the short-term and long-term results of these programs and the function of their effectiveness will be investigated: a) from the time of implementation of the program in relation to the arrival of refugees / immigrants, b) from the degree of their integration into Greek society and c) by category of target population (refugees or migrants). The research will also examine the extent to which these programs present benefits that extend beyond the short-term improvement in the mental health of family members, thus contributing to their greater integration into the social environment in which they live. In order to evaluate the ways of intervention that are used in these programs and to bring out the most effective, the particularities and special needs of this population must first be studied. This will be achieved through the identification and detailed recording of their living conditions, as well as by studying the quality of the early relationships between parents and children and how they are affected by the living conditions of the family. The data analysis will be done in a qualitative way, in order to accomplish a greater in-depth exploration of the variables and elements presented. More specifically, the qualitative technique will be a combination of Thematic Analysis, Content Analysis and Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. The data collection tools of the research will be the observation (archival observation and direct observation) of programs addressed to refugees and immigrants and the semi-structured in-depth interviews with mental health professionals working with these populations. The knowledge acquired aims to promote the psychosocial empowerment of these population groups, to contribute their effort for social integration but also to support the parent-child relationship and the psycho-emotional development of these children. In addition, the above actions will allow the creation of a tool for effective early intervention at the level of family and social mental health, which could contribute to the diffusion of scientific knowledge to other structures working with refugees and migrants.
Key Words: early intervention, immigrants, refugees, child mental health
