Problem management plus with emotional processing module for refugee youth in the Netherlands: pilot trial of feasibility, acceptability and safety

Background Refugee youth are at elevated risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health disorders, yet systemic and cultural barriers limit access to care. Scalable, transdiagnostic interventions such as Problem Management Plus (PM+) are promising, but their impact on trauma symptoms is modest. Incorporating brief trauma-focused components may enhance effectiveness. Aims To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of PM+ with an emotional processing module (PM+EP) for refugee youth aged 16–25 years in the Netherlands. Method Refugee youth with elevated psychological distress (K10 > 15) and impaired functioning (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) > 16) were randomised into PM+EP, PM+ with supportive counselling (PM+SC), or care as usual (CAU). Feasibility and acceptability were assessed via recruitment, adherence, fidelity and qualitative interviews. Psychological distress, PTSD symptoms, functioning and self-identified problems were measured at baseline, post-intervention and follow-up. Registered in Overview of Medical Research in the Netherlands (OMON; Trial ID: NL-OMON56254). Results Fifty-two participants were randomised (PM+EP: n = 17; PM+SC: n = 19; CAU: n = 16). Attendance and fidelity were high, and PM+ interventions were rated as acceptable and culturally appropriate. No significant between-group differences were observed in the primary analyses. Exploratory analyses suggested greater short-term symptom reduction for probable depression in PM+EP versus CAU ( b = –0.79, s.e. = 0.38, p = 0.04). Effect size estimates ranged from small to large across outcomes (Hedges’ g = –0.98 to 0.19). Conclusions PM+ is feasible, acceptable and safe for refugee youth aged 16 years and older. The potential added value of the EP module remains unclear and warrants further investigation. Trial Registration Number The trial was registered in the Dutch clinical trial registration: Overview of Medical Research in the Netherlands (OMON) (Trial ID: NL-OMON56254; https://onderzoekmetmensen.nl/en/trial/56254 ).