Mental health support for Ethiopian and Eritrean emerging adults

Developing and Pilot Testing a Mental Health Support Intervention for Ethiopian and Eritrean Youth

['FUNDING_R21'] · EMORY UNIVERSITY · NIH-11193942

This project will create and try a group mental-health program led by trained community health workers for Ethiopian and Eritrean young adults to build resilience and improve well-being.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R21']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorEMORY UNIVERSITY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (ATLANTA, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11193942 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

If you join, you'll help local researchers and community health workers develop and try a group program called Weyera that is built for Ethiopian and Eritrean (habesha) emerging adults. The team will work with community members to shape the program so it fits cultural experiences and language, then trained community health workers will lead group sessions. Participants will be asked to attend group sessions and complete short surveys or interviews about mood, resilience, and well-being so the team can learn what helps most. This is a small pilot based in Atlanta to see if the program is acceptable and useful before wider testing.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal participants are Ethiopian or Eritrean (habesha) emerging adults, roughly ages 18–29, living in or near Atlanta who are interested in group mental health support.

Not a fit: People outside the target ethnic or age group, those needing urgent psychiatric or crisis care, or those unable to attend in-person group sessions may not benefit from this pilot.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the program could strengthen resilience and improve mental health and well-being among Ethiopian and Eritrean young adults.

How similar studies have performed: Community health worker–led group mental health programs have shown promise in diverse populations, but this culturally tailored Weyera program for habesha emerging adults is novel and untested.

Where this research is happening

ATLANTA, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.