Key takeaways
- Mental health and psychosocial support research in active armed conflict is complex but feasible with appropriate safeguards and involvement of local actors and communities.
- Engaging lay leaders and delivering mental health support through schools, community centres and places of worship can help expand access and strengthen local ownership.
- Success in mental health and psychosocial support interventions should be measured beyond clinical symptoms to include psychosocial functioning, well-being, social relationships, cohesion and resilience.
This Managing Exits from Armed Conflict Research into Action report draws on a recent scoping review of mental health and psychosocial support interventions for populations affected by ongoing armed conflict.
The authors reflect on what the available evidence reveals, the challenges of assessing intervention impact in conflict settings, and the extent to which existing approaches respond to different cultural and contextual realities.
The report highlights the potential of local lay leaders and community-based settings to expand access to support amid dwindling resources. It recommends broadening how success is measured beyond clinical symptoms.
The authors emphasize the importance of making interventions more locally grounded, culturally relevant and accessible during ongoing conflict.