Resettled Refugee Families for Healing

Resettled Refugee Families for Healing (2023-2027)

Resettled Refugee Families for Healing (RRF4H): A Study of Intergenerational Impact of War Trauma and Resilience

Principal Investigator: Nhial T. Tutlam, PhD

Funding Agency: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Mentors: Fred M. Ssewamala, PhD, Mary McKay, PhD, Theresa S. Betancourt, PhD, Byron Powell, PhD, and Shenyang Guo, PhD

Community Partners: Omaha Refugee Task Force (ORTF), New Life Family Alliance, First Presbyterian Church of Lincoln and Turningpoint Psychotherapy. P.C

Study Coordinator: TBD

Resettled Refugee Families for Healing (K01MH131872) is a type 1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial to test a combination intervention designed to improve intergenerational trauma-related mental health symptoms among second generation refugee children (SGRC) and their parents. Guided by Social Action and Family Systems theories,and applying them to the intergenerational transmission of trauma (ITT) framework, the combination intervention consists of: family strengthening (FS) model delivered through multiple family groups (MFG) + peer mentoring program called TeenAge Health Consultants (TAHC) adapted for delivery in virtual environment (Virtual TAHC). Using a two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial, the study will recruit 154 youth (77 per study arm), ages 14 – 17 years and at least one biological parent per youth from resettled refugee communities in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska. The intervention will be implemented over 16 weeks, with assessments at baseline, 16 weeks post-intervention initiation, and 6 months follow-up.