Abstract

This study examines the impact of an Introduction to Community Psychology course on the empowerment of adult refugees living in Egypt. The course was designed and implemented at a refugee center located in downtown Cairo. For a period of 10 weeks, refugees enrolled in the course conducted a community needs assessment (CNA) to identify the resources and needs of a community in Cairo. The refugee students then designed and implemented a community intervention to help meet the needs of their chosen community. The course sought to empower adult refugees by 1) increasing their knowledge and skill level of the CNA process, 2) building their knowledge of community intervention skills, 3) imparting to them practical and applicable skills in working with communities and groups, 4) giving them the opportunity to effect change in their own communities, and 5) providing them with an opportunity to build relationships across refugee communities. To assess the impact of the course, students completed pretest and posttest scales measuring optimism, self-esteem and self-efficacy along with a retrospective survey assessing learning. Reflective journals kept by students during the course were also analyzed for themes related to learning and empowerment. Results revealed that, overall, the Introduction to Community Psychology course had a meaningful impact on students learning experience but did not significantly impact levels of optimism, self-esteem or self-efficacy. Sixty percent of participants reported a large increase in their knowledge of the steps of conducting a CNA. In addition, a thematic analysis identified four key themes: (a) improved understanding of how to conduct a CNA, (b) key content knowledge of the field of community psychology, (c) empowering learning environment, and (d) greater understanding of how to plan and design a community intervention. The results provide insight into the strengths and challenges of using a community psychology approach to empower refugees.

Degree Name

MA in Community Psychology

Graduation Date

6-1-2018

Submission Date

May 2018

First Advisor

Forden, Carie

Committee Member 1

Jones, Joseph

Committee Member 2

Ellis, Kate

Extent

100 p.

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Rights

The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval

Approval has been obtained for this item

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