Shi, Ruying ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9499-5013, Zakia, Herbert ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0098-369X and Charura, Divine ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3509-9392 (2026) Trauma, Displacement and Meaning‐Making: A Scoping Review of Psycho‐Spiritual Interventions for Refugees and Asylum Seekers. MultiPsych, 1 (3).

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Abstract

This scoping review maps how spirituality is operationalised within trauma care for adult refugees and asylum seekers. Following Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) five‐stage framework with PRISMA‐ScR reporting, 5 databases were searched, and 12 studies were included. Five intervention families were identified, spanning secular meaning‐centred, contemplative, faith‐integrated, ritual‐based and culturally integrated approaches. Across the corpus, spirituality functioned as an active mechanism of change through meaning‐making, prayer and ritual, moral repair and collective belonging. The following three critical gaps were identified: the absence of safeguards against spiritual harm, the misalignment of outcome measurement with the dimensions actually targeted by the interventions and the unresolved boundaries between therapeutic, spiritual and cultural roles. Four preliminary implications for ethically grounded practice are proposed: client‐led spiritual engagement; co‐designed safeguarding for dual roles; community involvement in intervention design; and outcome evaluation aligned to the dimensions targeted. These are offered as provisional and intended to be tested through future empirical research.

Item Type:	Article
Status:	Published
DOI:	10.1002/mps2.70018
School/Department:	School of Education, Language and Psychology
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/15765

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