Psychosocial school-based intervention among adolescents with migrant and native backgrounds: Effectiveness and experiences
: Punamäki, Raija-Leena; Soye, Emma; Kankaanpää, Reeta; Mohammadi, Leila; Vänskä, Mervi; Aalto, Sanni; Watters, Charles; Derluyn, Ilse; Verelst, An; Peltonen, Kirsi
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
: 2025
Applied Developmental Science
: 1088-8691
: 1532-480X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2025.2596583
: https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2025.2596583
: https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202601221745
Positive social relationships are essential for supporting adolescents in multicultural schools. This preregistered study quantitatively examined the effectiveness of the Peer Integration and Enhancement Resource (PIER), a school-based psychosocial intervention, in increasing adolescents' social capital; it also qualitatively analyzed teachers' experiences of the PIER. Adolescents with migrant backgrounds and those with native backgrounds were randomly allocated to the intervention and control groups in England (N = 108) and Finland (N = 370). Indicators of social capital, e.g. peer relationship quality, sense of belonging, and prosocial behavior, were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and at follow-up. The quantitative results demonstrated that the PIER did not significantly improve adolescents' social capital. The qualitative analyses of the teachers' focus group discussions identified four main themes: emotional support through experiential processes, security created through exercises, identity building through exploration, and connection through group dynamics. Tailoring the intervention to meet adolescents' needs would improve its effectiveness.
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The research was carried out as part of the RefugeesWellSchool (RWS) project "Preventive school-based interventions to promote the mental well-being of refugee and migrant adolescents." The RWS project has received funding from the European Union's 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 754849.