Groups 4 Health for Refugees: A pilot feasibility and acceptability trial of a social identity intervention for forced migrants

Abstract

Forced migrants around the globe often suffer from high levels of social isolation and loneliness with severe repercussions for their health, well-being, and sociocultural adjustment. However, the development of theory-based interventions explicitly addressing these issues has lagged behind. In the current non-randomised pre-post open trial study, Groups 4 Health for Refugees (G4H-REF)—a social identity intervention that targets social disconnection and loneliness—was pilot-tested in a sample of refugees and asylum-seekers in Greece (N = 15). G4H-REF was found to be feasible and acceptable among the sample. Participants demonstrated medium to large improvements in sociocultural adjustment, life satisfaction, loneliness, and connectedness with multiple group memberships immediately upon treatment completion and at 4-month follow-up. In contrast, scores of a no-treatment historical control group of asylum-seekers (N = 37) remained constant over a 4-month period. Exploratory indicators of group processes suggested that participants experienced G4H-REF as an emerging, supportive group identity, consistent with its social identity–based rationale. Taken together, these findings suggest that G4H-REF can potentially serve as a viable treatment option to target social disconnection and loneliness in forced migrants. However, high attrition raises concerns about internal validity and generalisability. We outline key considerations for future adequately powered randomised controlled trials, including stronger methodological safeguards, enhanced retention strategies, and in-depth process evaluation to build on these preliminary findings.