A Scoping Review and Conceptual Model of Social Participation and Mental Health among Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Abstract

Social participation plays a key role in the integration of refugees and asylum seekers into their host societies, and is also closely tied to the mental health of those populations. The aim of this scoping review was to study how the concept of social participation is described in empirical research, and how it is associated with mental health outcomes. Methods: In total, 64 studies were identified through searches in PubMed, PsycInfo, and Sociological Abstracts. These studies describe various forms of social participation among refugees and asylum seekers, and 33 of them also addressed various forms of mental health outcomes. Results: The identified studies described forms and conditions of social participation—both in the host country and transnationally—that could be synthesized into three broad dimensions: (1) Regulatory frameworks, conditions and initiatives; (2) Established societal organizations and social structures; and (3) Community organized groups. Each of these consisted of several sub-domains. The identified dimensions of social participation were also associated with psychosocial well-being and decreased psychological distress. Conclusions: There is a need for policies to enable and support the participation of refugees and asylum seekers in various dimensions of social structures in host societies. Social participation enhances resilience, re-establishes social lives, and acts as a protective factor against poor mental health outcomes.

Cohort profile: Resettlement in Uprooted Groups Explored (REFUGE)—a longitudinal study of mental health and integration in adult refugees from Syria resettled in Norway between 2015 and 2017

“…[16][17][18] The REFUGE-study approaches integration in agreement with the primary domains suggested by Ager and Strang, 19 which are: employment and labour market, school and education attainments, housing, and health and healthcare. Furthermore, and in line with suggestions by Castles et al 20 and Niemi et al, 21 we consider civic and social participation/social exclusion to be central indicators of refugees' access to and active involvement in important spheres of the host societies, and these markers thus indicate a central component of social capital. 22 Congruent with the domains of integration suggested by Ager and Strang, the study will use data from the Norwegian national registries in order to measure integration for consenting participants.…”

Coping in Limbo? The Moderating Role of Coping Strategies in the Relationship between Post-Migration Stress and Well-Being during the Asylum-Seeking Process

“…Consistent with the SEM methodology, the items in the three self-report scales on postmigratory stress, coping and well-being were treated as reflective indicators of underlying latent constructs [49]. Theory and prior studies on refugee populations guided the actual modeling of latent constructs [9,50], with modification indices consulted to improve fit when necessary. The overall aim was to establish theoretically grounded and well-fitted measurement models.…”

Can Circumstances Be Softened? Self-Efficacy, Post-Migratory Stressors, and Mental Health among Refugees

“…Unfortunately, there is less clarity on how to intervene on the profound effects of post-migratory stressors [ 20 ]. Evidently, the impact of post-migratory stressors can be partially reduced by practical changes, such as obtaining a job or increased proficiency in the host country language [ 21 ], as well as by policies enabling these factors [ 22 ]. This level of intervention, however, often requires policy change in host countries, and thus is usually beyond the influence of individual refugees and their helpers.…”