Title: Scalable Mental Health Interventions for Urban Refugee Youth in Low- and Middle-Income Ayebare David Santson, Asingwire Richard, Kukundakwe Rebecca
Authors: Countries: A Narrative Review
Volume: 10
Issue: 4
Pages: 165-172
Publication Date: 2026/04/28
Abstract:
Urbanisation has become a defining feature of contemporary forced displacement, with a growing proportion of refugees, particularly adolescents and young adults, residing in urban and peri-urban settings in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Urban refugee youth face compounded mental health risks arising from pre-migration trauma, displacement-related stressors, disrupted education, unemployment, and social exclusion. Although scalable mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) interventions have gained prominence within global mental health and humanitarian policy, the extent to which these approaches address the needs of urban refugee youth remains unclear. We conducted a narrative literature review to synthesise evidence on scalable mental health and psychosocial interventions targeting urban refugee adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 years in LMICs. Searches were conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for literature published from January 2015 onward. Eligible studies included peer-reviewed empirical studies, protocols, and reviews describing scalable, low-intens ity, task-shifted, or self-help MHPSS interventions implemented among urban or self-settled refugee populations, with relevance to youth mental health, feasibility, or implementation. The review identified a limited and heterogeneous evidence base. Scalable interventions such as WHO Self-Help Plus, Problem Management Plus, and group-based psychosocial programmes have been implemented across multiple LMIC urban contexts; however, most studies targeted adults or mixed-age populations, with minimal age disaggregation and few interventions explicitly designed for urban refugee youth. Evidence on suicidality, youth-specific engagement strategies, and implementation outcomes, including reach, feasibility, and sustainability, was sparse. Emerging registered trials integrating mental health and livelihood components suggest growing recognition of the link between mental health and education-to-employment transitions, but outcome data remain limited. Despite strong policy endorsement of scalable MHPSS approaches, urban refugee adolescents and young adults remain underrepresented in the empirical literature. There is a critical need for youth-focused, urban-specific, and implementation-informed research to guide the adaptation, scale-up, and funding of mental health interventions in LMIC urban settings. Strengthening the evidence base in this area is essential to inform effective policy and programming for urban refugee youth.