Methodological Challenges in Conducting Research with Refugee Women

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of a 10-week community-based, culturally tailored mental health intervention, called Healthy Sudanese Families, with 12 South Sudanese refugee women living in a metropolitan area of the Midwestern United States. This mixed-methods study used the Dinka and Arabic versions of the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-25 to measure indicators of anxiety and depression and a final focus group to evaluate the women's responses to the intervention. The women found the mental health intervention acceptable and relevant. Methodological challenges encountered in cross-cultural research with refugees are discussed.