Young immigrants frequently experience anxiety as a consequence of the stre
ss associated with migration. Despite being at high risk for the developmen
t of psychopathology, culturally sensitive assessment and intervention proc
edures for use with ethnic minority groups residing in Australia have yet t
o be developed and validated. The aims of the current study were to (a) inv
estigate the level of anxiety in a sample of former-Yugoslavian teenage ref
ugees; (b) appraise the efficacy of the FRIENDS program, a validated Angle-
Australian anxiety-prevention program, for use with this high-risk group; a
nd (c) obtain information from both the program participants and facilitato
rs regarding how the intervention could be modified to better meet the need
s of this growing refugee population in Australia. Twenty female former-Yug
oslavian youths completed standardised measures of internalising symptoms.
Participants were allocated to either an intervention (n = 9) or a waiting
list (n = 11)condition. In spite of the small sample size, post-assessment
indicated that participants in the intervention condition reported signific
antly less internalising symptoms than participants in the waiting list con
dition. Social validity data indicated that, overall, participants were hig
hly satisfied with the intervention. Suggestions for assessment and treatme
nt program modifications are discussed.