NCT06960187

Weyera Mental Health Pilot Intervention

Piloting Resilience Focused Mental Health Intervention (Weyera) With Ethiopian and Eritrean Youth

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 60 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Emory University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 29 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study aims to pilot a group-level intervention focused on mental health and resilience among Ethiopian and Eritrean youth. The study follows previous work that showed high rates of mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)) among Ethiopian and Eritrean youth in Atlanta. The goal is to determine the acceptability, feasibility, and safety of this culturally relevant group-level intervention before a larger trial to improve resilience processes that support mental wellness in a community-based setting.

Detailed description

The goal of this study is to develop and pilot test a Wellness: Ethiopian/Eritrean Youth Exploring Resilience and Awareness (Weyera), mental health-focused, culturally targeted, group-level intervention. This intervention aims to provide psychoeducation, develop coping skills, and create a space for open discussion. The study will use a waitlist control design, recruiting participants randomly assigned to either the intervention or control (delayed intervention) group. Participants will attend 8 weekly sessions (\~2 hours each) that include psychoeducation, interactive activities, and coping skills practice. Sessions will be facilitated by trained community health workers. Participants will also complete baseline and follow-up surveys at 2-, 4-, and 6-month post-enrollment, as well as post-session evaluation surveys after each session.

Conditions

• Mental Health Issue

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Weyera Intervention	Weyera intervention is an eight-week program featuring weekly, two-hour facilitated group sessions with 6-10 participants in each group, led by trained lay facilitators. Each session will address the weekly topic and introduce an evidence-based coping strategy (e.g., mindfulness, positive refocusing) that participants can practice over the following week. Within this outline, we will create intervention activities based on theory-based change methods and practical applications matched to objectives and determinants in the Logic Model of Change. Outline of major modules for the eight weeks: 1. Introduction to mental health 2. Stress and family pressure 3. Self-exploration and critical reflection 4. Intersectional Identities 5. Family Relationships 6. Discussing mental health in the Ethiopian and Eritrean communities 7. Trauma and Abuse 8. Navigating mental health services
BEHAVIORAL	Delayed intervention (waitlist control)	Wait-list control participants will be assigned to a group for initiation of the full intervention beginning at month 4 after their enrollment (i.e., beginning after they, and their corresponding intervention group, have completed their intervention and two follow-up surveys). Wait-list control participants will complete surveys at enrollment (baseline), 2 months (pre-intervention), 4 months (pre-intervention), 6 months (immediate post-intervention), and 8 months (post-intervention).

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-09-22
• Primary completion: 2026-09-01
• Completion: 2026-09-01
• First posted: 2025-05-07
• Last updated: 2025-10-08

Locations

3 sites across 1 country: United States