Participants assigned to this arm received an 8-session culturally adapted Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Brief CBT). Sessions addressed crisis stabilization, cognitive restructuring, problem-solving related to financial stressors, behavioral activation, emotion regulation skills, relapse prevention, and linkage to community resources. Sessions were delivered weekly, either individually (60 minutes) or in groups (90 minutes), based on participant preference.

Participants assigned to this arm received standard community resources and information without structured therapeutic intervention. They were provided with a comprehensive multilingual list of available mental health services, crisis support hotlines, and financial counseling resources accessible in the UAE. Participants were free to access these services independently, without active facilitation or structured guidance by the research team. This arm represents the standard of care typically available to economically distressed migrant workers experiencing mental health difficulties in the region.

Participants received an 8-session culturally adapted Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy intervention targeting suicidal ideation, psychological distress, and financial stress. Therapy included crisis stabilization, cognitive restructuring of maladaptive thoughts related to economic hardship, behavioral activation, problem-solving skills for financial and psychosocial stressors, and emotion-regulation training. It concluded with relapse prevention planning and connection to supportive community resources. Sessions were delivered weekly, either individually (60 minutes) or in groups (90 minutes), based on participant preference.

Change in the severity of suicidal ideation as measured by the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS), a 19-item clinician-rated scale that assesses suicidal thoughts, plans, and wishes during the past week. Scores range from 0 to 38, with higher scores indicating greater suicidal ideation severity.