The cultural adaptation of the Friendship Bench Intervention to address perinatal psychological distress in Sierra Leone: an application of the ADAPT-ITT framework and the Ecological Validity Model.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In Sierra Leone, women of reproductive age represent a significant portion of the population and face heightened mental health challenges due to the lasting effects of civil war, the Ebola epidemic, and the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to culturally adapt the Friendship Bench Intervention (FBI) for perinatal psychological distress in Sierra Leone.

Method

We utilized the ADAPT-ITT framework and Bernal's Ecological Validity Model (EVM) for culturally adapting the FBI's process and content. The adaptation stages included a formative study to assess perinatal women's mental health needs. We screened the FBI for modifications based on the data from the formative study and EVM. The initial FBI manual was presented to mother-mother support groups (MMSGs, n=5) and

SUBMITTER: Bah AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11880789 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature