A Qualitative Study of Resilience Factors of Bosnian Refugee Women Resettled in the Southern United States

Sossou, Marie‐Antoinette; Craig, Carlton D.; Ogren, Heather; Schnak, Michelle

doi:10.1080/15313200802467908

Cited by 82 publications

(99 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Five studies were conducted in HIC settings [38-40,45,46] and the other five in LMIC settings [41-44,47]. There was a wide variation in sample sizes, which ranged from 4 to 80.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A systematic review of resilience and mental health outcomes of conflict-driven adult forced migrants

et al. 2014

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BackgroundThe rising global burden of forced migration due to armed conflict is increasingly recognised as an important issue in global health. Forced migrants are at a greater risk of developing mental disorders. However, resilience, defined as the ability of a person to successfully adapt to or recover from stressful and traumatic experiences, has been highlighted as a key potential protective factor. This study aimed to review systematically the global literature on the impact of resilience on the mental health of adult conflict-driven forced migrants.MethodologyBoth quantitative and qualitative studies that reported resilience and mental health outcomes among forcibly displaced persons (aged 18+) by way of exploring associations, links, pathways and causative mechanisms were included. Fourteen bibliographic databases and seven humanitarian study databases/websites were searched and a four stage screening process was followed.ResultsTwenty three studies were included in the final review. Ten qualitative studies identified highlighted family and community cohesion, family and community support, individual personal qualities, collective identity, supportive primary relationships and religion. Thirteen quantitative studies were identified, but only two attempted to link resilience with mental disorders, and three used a specific resilience measure. Over-reliance on cross-sectional designs was noted. Resilience was generally shown to be associated with better mental health in displaced populations, but the evidence on this and underlying mechanisms was limited.DiscussionThe review highlights the need for more epidemiological and qualitative evidence on resilience in forcibly displaced persons as a potential avenue for intervention development, particularly in resource-poor settings.

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“…Five studies were conducted in HIC settings [38-40,45,46] and the other five in LMIC settings [41-44,47]. There was a wide variation in sample sizes, which ranged from 4 to 80.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A systematic review of resilience and mental health outcomes of conflict-driven adult forced migrants

et al. 2014

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“…In their review of resilience research among certain minority groups,McLaughlin et al (2009) identified two characteristics that they considered fundamental to resilience: heightened vulnerability and adaptation to risk. Resilience can determine the capacity to face safety-threatening events and still perform adequately (Charney, 2004) and it explains how a victim of violence can deal positively with past traumatic experiences (Lee et al, 2008; Sossou et al, 2008). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resilience as a Protective Factor Against the Development of Psychopathology Among Refugees

Arnetz¹,

Rofa²,

Arnetz³

et al. 2013

Journal of Nervous &Amp; Mental Disease

110

103

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Refugee research to date has predominantly focused on factors that make refugees more vulnerable for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and /or psychological distress. Few papers have studied potential protective factors such as resilience. A targeted non-random sample of Iraqi refugees (n=75) and a control group of non-Iraqi Arab immigrants (n=53) were recruited from a number of Iraqi/Arab community institutions in Michigan to complete a questionnaire that included measures for psychological distress, PTSD symptoms, exposure to trauma, and resilience. Refugees reported significantly more PTSD symptoms (T-test, p<.01) and psychological distress (p<.05) compared to immigrants. There was no difference in resilience between the two groups. In linear regression, pre-migration exposure to violence was a significant predictor of psychological distress (p<.01) and PTSD symptoms (p<.01). After controlling for migrant status and violence exposure, resilience was a significant inverse predictor of psychological distress (p<.001) but not of PTSD. Resilience is associated with less trauma-related psychological distress and should be considered in assessing risk and protective factors among victims of war-related violence.

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“…The critical consciousness that developed in the current study's participants as reflected in their stories can be reinterpreted as resilience that may have tempered the impact of the traumatic events associated with the struggle for liberation. Resilience as described here, however, is more than a protective factor in postconflict coping (e.g., Schweitzer, Greenslade, & Kagee, 2007;Sossou, Craig, Ogren, & Schnak, 2008). Instead, resilience in this study exemplifies posttraumatic growth.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

A Human Being Is Free: The Phenomenological Experience of Liberation in Namibia

Bartholomew

2012

International Perspectives in Psychology

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Many oppressed groups throughout Africa have successfully engaged in struggles for liberation to oust colonial rule. To study the psychological experiences of liberation in a specific context, the U.S. researcher traveled to Namibia and, using a phenomenological approach, explored the meanings people ascribed to their independence from South Africa. Six individual interviews were conducted with Ovambo Namibians. Seven themes emerged from 280 invariant structures and their 280 corresponding meaning units: Continuous and Inescapable Oppression, the Tipping Point, Family Ecology and the Choice, Participation in the Struggle, Reconciliation, Dreams of Freedom Realized, and Left Wanting: Disenchantment and Lost Democracy. Findings revealed that liberation was an arduous and traumatic experience and that resilience was required to endure the liberation struggle. Although the experience of liberation among Namibians may share features such as posttraumatic stress and the role of resilience with other struggles, the particular context and history led to unique elements, including rifts that developed within families during the struggle and dissatisfaction with unfulfilled promises.

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A Qualitative Study of Resilience Factors of Bosnian Refugee Women Resettled in the Southern United States

Abstract: This study reports findings from a qualitative investigation of seven Bosnian refugee women's coping strategies as they resettled in two cities of the Southeastern United States over five years. It focuses on their personal experiences as refugees and the factors that contributed to their

Cited by 82 publications

References 43 publications

A systematic review of resilience and mental health outcomes of conflict-driven adult forced migrants

A systematic review of resilience and mental health outcomes of conflict-driven adult forced migrants

Resilience as a Protective Factor Against the Development of Psychopathology Among Refugees

A Human Being Is Free: The Phenomenological Experience of Liberation in Namibia

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