Problem Management Plus
Problem Management Plus (PM+)
Problem Management Plus (PM+) is a psychological intervention for adults impaired by distress in communities who are exposed to adversity, developed by World Health Organization (WHO). To ensure maximum use, the intervention is developed in such a way that it can help people with depression, anxiety and stress, whether or not exposure to adversity has caused these problems. It can be applied to improve aspects of mental health and psychosocial well-being no matter how severe people’s problems are. The title reflects the aims of the approach: to help people improve their management of practical (unemployment, interpersonal conflict) and common (depression, anxiety, stress or grief) mental health problems. The "plus" refers to evidence-based cognitive behavioural strategies add to problem solving counselling, especially in communities that do not have many specialists. It can be applied to improve aspects of mental health and psychosocial well-being no matter how severe people’s problems and was specifically designed to be delivered by non-professional mental health workers, such as trained and supervised Community Health Volunteers.
Kenya
A PM+ study was conducted in the Nairobi suburbs from 2013 to 2015 to assess effectiveness of PM+ among women affected by gender-based violence, and was followed by a randomized controlled trial. Next, a PM+ service framework was developed in collaboration with Ministry of Health and piloted in four counties and embedded in Kenya's four-tier health care system. A third phase supported PM+ sustainability initiatives, including empowering Community Health Workers to deliver PM+ to households. The PM+ project in Kenya was supported by Grand Challenges Canada, which is funded by the Government of Canada.
Iraq
The "Responding to the Critical Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and Protection Needs of the Crisis Affected Population in Zummar" project implemented a 13- month multi-layered programme that included PM+ and Doing What Matters in Times of Stress (DWM) to provide MHPSS to address the mental health needs of 140,000 internally displaced persons, returnees and host community adults and teens in the Zummar subdistrict of Iraq. The study was funded by Aktion Deutschland Hilft (ADH) and supported by World Vision Germany.
When I started listening to other people’s testimonies, I started consoling myself. World Vision staff gave me all the necessary support for my healing journey. I felt my hope had been renewed. I felt empowered and I started to detach myself from my worries. I apologised to my children and we are a happy family again.
- Grace, participant in PM+ in Kenya
