Moodbuster SunLight – English

• Background

  Digital interventions for prevention of mental health issues following exposure to adversity are a new development and have so far shown favourable outcomes. They allow intervention programmes to become scalable and more accessible to people who otherwise would struggle with getting the help they need due to barriers, like language.

  Since the beginning of the full scale war in Ukraine, many Ukrainians have been forcibly displaced all over Europe, including the Netherlands. These individuals often deal with stressors, such as adapting to a new environment, culture, and constant news from the ongoing war back home. These stressors can result in mental health symptoms like low mood, anxiety, and reduced wellbeing. Therefore, it is important to support those who are looking for support in an accessible way and help them improve their low mood and wellbeing.

• Psychological support program

  Moodbuster SunLight is a 3-week online programme for forcibly displaced Ukrainian people residing in the Netherlands. It is aimed at improving wellbeing and fighting low mood.

  The course follows a series of three modules:

  1) Psychoeducation, during which you will learn basic psychological knowledge to help fight low mood and depressive symptoms, and improve your wellbeing.

  2) Behavioural activation, a psychological approach aimed at improving your wellbeing by scheduling and incorporating joyful activities into your life.

  3) Problem solving, a gentle method on how to tackle and deal with your problems.

  Taking part in the course will take you about 30 minutes a week.

• Research

  This is a study conducted by a team of researchers who want to know if the digital intervention ‘Moodbuster SunLight’ is acceptable and satisfactory for the forcibly displaced people from Ukraine residing in the Netherlands. We aim to see how people respond to the programme and if a wider application is beneficial. In order to do so we ask you to fill out questionnaires before and after the intervention – these should take you about 15-20 minutes each.

• Processing of data

  If you wish to participate, the link will take you to a website with the information letter, after which you will be asked to provide digital consent. Your data will be stored on a secure network at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and will only be accessible to the researchers. After completion you are entitled to a €30 voucher (gift-card).

• Interested in participating?

  link to Qualtrics website

  Click the link above, which will take you to a Qualtrics survey where you can find the information letter about the project. After reading, you will be asked to provide digital consent, followed by a questionnaire. After completing the questionnaire, you will be given admission to the programme via email, as well as instructions.

Members

• Principal Investigators

  • Prof. Marit Sijbrandij
  • Prof. Heleen Riper

• Team members

  • Marketa Ciharova, Post-doctoral researcher
  • Anastasiia Delkova, Moodbuster coach
  • Marie Doubrova, Research master student, Moodbuster coach
  • Dr. Iryna Frankova, Post-doctoral researcher, Moodbuster coach and supervisor
  • Natalia Maksymets, Moodbuster coach
  • Sophia Trofimova, Research assistant, Moodbuster coach
  • Samuel Zachariev, Research intern