Clarkston

Researchers are evaluating a mental health and resilience program designed specifically for Ethiopian and Eritrean youth aged 18 to 29 living in the Atlanta metropolitan area. This study addresses high rates of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder among these communities by testing a culturally tailored group intervention. The goal is to assess the acceptability, feasibility, and safety of this program before conducting a larger trial to support mental wellness in a community setting. The intervention, called Weyera, consists of eight weekly group sessions lasting about two hours each. Led by trained community health workers, these sessions offer psychoeducation, coping skills training, and open discussions on topics such as mental health, stress, identity, family relationships, trauma, and accessing mental health services. Participants are randomly assigned either to start the intervention immediately or to a wait-list control group that begins the program after four months. During the study, participants complete surveys before, during, and after the intervention at 2, 4, 6, and 8 months to measure satisfaction, recruitment and retention rates, mental health symptoms, social support, ethnic identity, resilience, and use of mental health services. Some participants will also take part in interviews. The study monitors safety throughout the six-month follow-up period to gather comprehensive information on the interventions impact and feasibility.