Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one of the best-evidenced psychosocial interventions for psychosis and is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the American Psychiatric Association. CBT was developed and derived from Western cultural values, which may not be appropriate for non-Western cultures. Trials of CBT in Western countries have indicated that participants from ethnic minority groups demonstrate low rates of engagement, retention, and recruitment. This indicates that the principles underlying CBT may conflict with individual beliefs and cultural values in non-Western countries. Therefore, we interviewed 15 people diagnosed with schizophrenia and 15 with their family members to explore the beliefs and attitudes of people diagnosed with schizophrenia and their family members concerning the proposed CBT intervention for psychosis in the Saudi context. The findings revealed that most participants accepted the proposed intervention. Important factors that influenced participants’ engagement and motivation in the CBT intervention were related to the therapist’s qualities (sex, empathy, and competence), family involvement, religion, and the number and format of CBT sessions for psychosis.

1. (1) To explore the beliefs and attitudes of people diagnosed with schizophrenia concerning the proposed CBT intervention for psychosis and how to improve it to make it more appropriate for their needs and cultures.

2. (2) To explore the beliefs and attitudes of family members of people diagnosed with schizophrenia concerning the proposed CBT intervention for psychosis and how to improve it to make it more appropriate to their needs and culture.

In Colombia, over 9 million people have been impacted by armed conflict, creating a significant need for mental health services. This study aimed to culturally adapt and pilot test the Youth Readiness Intervention (YRI), an evidence-based transdiagnostic mental health intervention, for conflict-affected Colombian youth aged 18-28 years.

The eight phases of the Assessment, Decision, Administration, Production, Topical Experts, Integration, Training, and Testing (ADAPT-ITT) framework were used to culturally adapt the YRI for conflict-affected Colombian youth. The Framework for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications to Evidence-based Implementation Strategies (FRAME-IS) was used to track the adaptations made. Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered and analyzed throughout the adaptation process.

Data from the Assessment phase demonstrated a high need for mental health interventions among conflict-affected youth. The Testing phase revealed significant improvements in emotion regulation and functional impairment, suggesting the YRI is a promising intervention among conflict-affected Colombian youth. Qualitative data confirmed the intervention’s acceptability among youth and mental health providers.

The YRI was successfully adapted for conflict-affected Colombian youth. Future studies using randomized designs are needed to test the effectiveness of the YRI for improving mental health among larger samples of Colombian conflict-affected youth.

Our aim was to translate and culturally adapt three evidence-informed leaflets on the work–health interface from English into Norwegian. Integral to this aim was the exploration of the quality and acceptability of each of the adapted leaflets to Norwegian-speaking stakeholders; general practitioners, people who deal with health issues in the workplace, and the general population.

Common health problems, such as musculoskeletal pain, account for most workdays lost and disability benefits in Norway. To facilitate return to work, it may be important to have access to evidence-informed information on the work–health interface for stakeholders involved in sickness absence processes. However, there is limited information material available in Norwegian that is tailored for the different stakeholders. Cultural adaptation is an emerging strategy for implementing health information across different populations and regions. Guidelines on cultural adaptation are not well-suited for translating and adapting evidence-informed health information material.

We conducted a pragmatic cultural adaptation process informed by existing guidelines. Our conceptual framework for adaptation is situated between adaptation and translation and comprises appraisal, forward- and back-translation, review in multiple steps, sense checking, and re-designing using a transcreation approach. Using an online survey, we aimed to evaluate the overall quality, value, acceptability, and clarity of each of the adapted leaflets to a total of 30 end-users.

We translated and culturally adapted three leaflets from English to Norwegian. Adapted leaflets were found to be clearly presented, acceptable, and valued by 45 Norwegian end-users. No differences in key concepts between original and back-translated leaflets emerged through the review process by the original author and forward translators. We used a pragmatic approach in this study that might be useful to others culturally adapting evidence-informed health information material.

Community health workers and promotoras (CHW/Ps) increasingly support research conducted in communities but receive variable or no training. We developed a culturally and linguistically tailored research best practices course for CHW/Ps that can be taken independently or in facilitated groups. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the facilitated training.

CHW/Ps were recruited from communities and partners affiliated with study sites in Michigan, Florida, and California. They participated in virtual or in-person training facilitated by a peer in English or Spanish and then completed a survey about their abilities (i.e., knowledge and skills for participating in research-related work) and perceptions of the training. Linear regression analyses were used to examine differences in training experience across several factors.

A total of 394 CHW/Ps, mean age 41.6 ± 13.8 years, completed the training and survey (n = 275 English; 119 Spanish). Most CHW/Ps were female (80%), and 50% identified as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish. Over 95% of CHW/Ps rated their abilities as improved after training; 98% agreed the course was relevant to their work and felt the training was useful. Small differences were observed between training sites.

Most CHW/Ps rated the training positively and noted improved knowledge and skills for engaging in research-related work. Despite slight site differences, the training was well received, and CHW/Ps appreciated having a facilitator with experience working in community-based settings. This course offers a standard and scalable approach to training the CHW/P workforce. Future studies can examine its uptake and effect on research quality.

1. (1) Integrating psychological services into physical health services has the potential to improve access to psychological support for minority groups facing multi-morbidity, such as Irish Travellers. This approach offers a less stigmatised route for individuals to receive help and involves fewer administrative processes, which may pose challenges for those with varying levels of literacy ability.

2. (2) This case example presents initial evidence that short-term transdiagnostic cognitive behavioural therapy can be an effective intervention for reducing depression and anxiety symptoms in older people from an Irish Traveller background.

3. (3) Successful outcomes in this case example hinged on:

   1. (a) A comprehensive formulation that considered the client’s full identity (e.g. cultural identity, intergenerational connections, cohort beliefs, physical health needs) in addition to their presenting problem.

   2. (b) Adapting the intervention to accommodate for culturally relevant aspects of the individual’s presentation. This involved modifying homework to reduce the literacy requirements, involving a trusted family member as a co-therapist, and integrating culturally relevant language into the therapy.

4. (4) This case report underscores the scarcity of rigorous research involving Irish Traveller populations and emphasises the need for further exploration of their experiences of mental health difficulties and engagement with mental health services. Further research should actively involve Irish Travellers to identify unmet needs and explore potential adaptations for therapeutic interventions. This would help to ensure accurate representation and prevent the homogenisation of this diverse group of individuals.

Community health workers and promotoras (CHW/Ps) have a fundamental role in facilitating research with communities. However, no national standard training exists as part of the CHW/P job role. We developed and evaluated a culturally- and linguistically tailored online research best practices course for CHW/Ps to meet this gap.

After the research best practices course was developed, we advertised the opportunity to CHW/Ps nationwide to complete the training online in English or Spanish. Following course completion, CHW/Ps received an online survey to rate their skills in community-engaged research and their perceptions of the course using Likert scales of agreement. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on open-ended response data.

104 CHW/Ps completed the English or Spanish course (n = 52 for each language; mean age 42 years SD ± 12); 88% of individuals identified as female and 56% identified as Hispanic, Latino, or Spaniard. 96%–100% of respondents reported improvement in various skills. Nearly all CHW/Ps (97%) agreed the course was relevant to their work, and 96% felt the training was useful. Qualitative themes related to working more effectively as a result of training included enhanced skills, increased resources, and building bridges between communities and researchers.

The CHW/P research best practices course was rated as useful and relevant by CHW/Ps, particularly for communicating about research with community members. This course can be a professional development resource for CHW/Ps and could serve as the foundation for a national standardized training on their role related to research best practices.

Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and debilitating conditions that show high comorbidity rates in adolescence. The present article illustrates how Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents (UP-A) was adapted for Iranian adolescents with anxiety disorders.

A total of 54 adolescents with comorbid anxiety disorders participated in a randomized, waitlist-controlled trial of group weekly sessions of either UP-A or waitlist control (WLC). Primary and process of change outcomes were assessed at baseline, posttreatment, and 1-month follow-up.

Significant changes were observed over time on major DSM-5 anxiety disorder symptoms (F(2, 51) = 117.09, p < 0.001), phobia type symptoms (F(2, 51) = 100.67, p < 0.001), and overall anxiety symptoms (F(2, 51) = 196.29, p < 0.001), as well as on emotion regulation strategies of reappraisal (F(2, 51) = 17.03, p < 0.001), and suppression (F(2, 51) = 21.13, p < 0.001), as well as on intolerance of uncertainty dimensions including prospective (F(2, 51) = 74.49, p < 0.001), inhibitory (F(2, 51) = 45.94, p < 0.001), and total intolerance of uncertainty (F(2, 51) = 84.42, p < 0.001), in favor of UP-A over WLC.

Overall, results provide a cultural application of the UP-A and support the protocol as useful for improving anxiety disorders as well as modifying of emotion regulation strategies and intolerance of uncertainty dimensions in Iranian adolescents. Future directions and study limitations are discussed.

Standardized measures for assessing neurological patients needing palliative care remain scarce. The Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale for neurological patients in its short form (IPOS Neuro-S8) helps assess and identify patients’ symptom burden and needs early but has not yet been validated in German. The aim was to culturally adapt and translate the IPOS Neuro-S8 into the German health-care context and evaluate its face and content validity.

Cultural adaptation study following the first 6 out of 8 phases of the Palliative care Outcome Scale measures manual: (1) conceptual definition, (2) forward translation to German, (3) backward translation to English, (4) expert review, (5) cognitive debriefing, (6) proofreading. Neurological patients needing palliative care and clinical staff of the Department of Palliative Medicine or Neurology of the University Hospital of Cologne were included. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis and descriptive statistics.

A total of 13 patients and 16 clinical staff participated in this study. The expert review panel (phase 4) consisted of 11 additional members. While patients (n = 9) and clinical staff (n = 11) confirmed that the IPOS Neuro-S8 is an intelligible tool that is well accepted (phase 5), some linguistic and cultural differences were found between the original English and German versions. These mainly concerned the items mouth problems and spasms.

The German version of the IPOS Neuro-S8 has demonstrated face and content validity and captures relevant symptoms of neurological patients needing palliative care. Its psychometric properties, including construct and criterion validity, will be investigated next.

1. (1) Adapting CBT to non-Western patients should be based on empirical evidence.

2. (2) The potential need for adaptation of CBT might depend on the acceptability of unadapted CBT.

3. (3) Acceptability is assumed to be related to patients’ values.

1. (1) To understand the views of Indian patients and therapists based on their experience of CBT.

2. (2) To understand the need for cultural adaptation of CBT in India.

3. (3) To understand the adaptations by therapists while using CBT in clinical practice.

4. (4) To gain perspective on how CBT can be culturally adapted to meet the needs of the Indian population.

1. (1) Leveraging digital and virtual platforms to deliver psychosocial interventions may contribute to addressing the significant treatment gap in low-resource settings.

2. (2) CBT-informed guided self-help is feasible and acceptable in the treatment of common mental disorders in Pakistan.

3. (3) The results of this study merit a larger, appropriately powered confirmatory randomized controlled trial to determine clinical and cost effectiveness.