Formative psychosocial evaluation using dynamic networks: trauma, stressors, and distress among Darfur refugees living in Chad

Research on the impact of various types of stressors on refugee wellbeing may not readily inform those designing interventions about the supports that will be most helpful in particular settings. Composite variables used in psychosocial research that represent overarching types of stressors provide only vague information about intervention targets. Dynamic networks model individual phenomena separately (i.e., specific stressors and symptoms of distress) to inform how phenomena interact with each other in ways that may be useful for individuals planning interventions in humanitarian aid settings.

Using archival data from Darfur refugees, we used a dynamic networks approach to model relationships between locally-validated measures of traumatic events, displacement stressors, impairment, and distress.

Findings aligned with previous research on the centrality of basic needs in refugee populations. Further, specific stressors were highlighted as particularly impactful for this population, and sleep and physical difficulties emerged as key aspects of distress and impairment, suggesting areas for targeted intervention. Conclusions: Dynamic network approaches may be fruitful for identifying setting-specific intervention targets and maximising the impact of limited resources in humanitarian aid settings.