Hope Groups: parenting and mental health support for displaced Palestinian caregivers
Official title: Hope Groups: A Small-Scale Randomised Controlled Trial Of Psychosocial And Parenting Support Groups For Palestinian Caregivers Affected By War In The Middle East
Run by University of Oxford · NCT07506421 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether Hope Groups help Palestinian caregivers displaced by war improve their mental health, strengthen parenting, and reduce violence toward children.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 490 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Oxford Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Jerash) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | February 5, 2025 |
| Main results expected | September 1, 2026 |
| Study ends | November 1, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | June 17, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07506421 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults aged 18 or older who are parents or caregivers living in one of the partner refugee camps and who consent to participate are the intended participants.
✕Probably not a fit
People who are not caregivers, those living outside partner camps, or individuals with no literacy who require a specially adapted non‑text version may not benefit from this version of the program.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a two-armed pragmatic randomized controlled roll-out trial comparing immediate participation in Hope Groups to a wait-list control among Palestinian caregivers living in partner refugee camps around Amman, Jordan. The trial uses a staircase design across five waves with individual-level randomization and a target sample of about 490 participants. Charity partners recruit interested caregivers, who are then randomly selected for cohorts and randomized to either receive the intervention immediately or later on the wait list. The intervention is a group-based psychosocial program combining mental health support, parenting strengthening, and violence prevention content delivered in community settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, Hope Groups could improve caregiver wellbeing, strengthen parenting practices, and lower violence against children in displaced families.
How similar studies have gone: Other group-based psychosocial and parenting programs in humanitarian settings have shown positive effects on caregiver wellbeing and parenting, though evidence varies and this specific Hope Groups program is novel in this population.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Participant is living in one of our partner refugee camps. * Participant is a parent/caregiver for one or more child (of any age). * Participant is over the age of 18. * Participant has high, medium, or low literacy. (Note: This is in order to use our Hope Groups programme guide. Our team is concerned that individuals with no literacy would need more audio files, rather than just a text-driven participant guide. If Hope Groups demonstrate effectiveness in this pilot, investigators will have focus groups with low-literacy participants, to create a future version which is suitable for people of all literacy backgrounds.) * Participant consents to participate in the study.
Where it's running
-
Jerash Camp
Jerash, Jordan Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Sydney F Tucker
- Email: sydney.tucker@spi.ox.ac.uk
- Phone: +1 706 969 8692
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.