Psychosocial treatment outcomes of common mental disorders vary widely in persons in low- and middle-income countries affected by humanitarian crises and refugees in high-income countries.

This commentary discusses methodological and contextual factors that might account for variations in psychosocial treatment outcomes found in persons in low- and middle-income countries affected by humanitarian crises and refugees. Factors discussed are related to cultural adaptations, content and intensity of treatment, population characteristics and factors related to research design.