Anticipation of migration and psychological stress and the Three Gorges Dam project, China

Abstract

Findings from a prospective study of project-induced migration in China's Three Gorges Dam project are reported. The study tests the hypotheses that anticipation of involuntary migration is stressful and that the harmful effects are partially mediated and moderated by the resources migrants possess. Using data collected from a sample of designated migrants (n = 975) who will be forced to relocate because they live in an area which will be flooded once the Three Gorges project is completed, and non-migrants (n = 555) in the same region, our analysis indicates that anticipation of involuntary migration is a robust predictor of mental distress. Anticipation of forced migration elevates depression (CES-D) not only directly, but also indirectly by weakening the social and the psychological resources (i.e., social support and mastery) which safeguard the mental well-being of migrants. However, our results show much less support for the hypothesis that resources moderate harmful effects of forced migration. KeywordsChina; Three Gorges; Development; Involuntary migration; Stress Main textMoving has often been seen as a stressful life event because it disturbs the equilibrium between the mover and the environment and compels the mover to readjust (Ben-Sira, 1997;Bhugra, 2004;Lev-Wiesel, 1998). While this view has been proven useful to explain the prevalence ofCorresponding Author E-Mail: shwang@uab.edu. 2 Although sample size may have played a role in these tests, we believe the effect of the variable is robust using even the most rigid definition of robustness.Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers

Energy and Human Health

“…Construction of China's Three Gorges Dam, for example, completely or partially flooded 13 cities and towns, 365 townships, and 1,711 villages, inundated about 26,000 hectares of farmland, and displaced at least 1.3 million residents (94). Studies showed resulting impoverishment, collapse of social support networks, homelessness, and unemployment, and such health impacts as depression and poor self-rated health (95,233).…”

Toward Holistic Evaluation and Assessment: Linking Ecosystems and Human Well-Being for the Three Gorges Dam

“…Psychosocial sequelae are associated with forced relocation, including traumatic stress, stigmatization, depression and violence (World Health Organization, 1999). A prospective study in the Three Gorges area found that forced migration resulted in increases in depression both directly and through disintegrating social support networks, with greater depression in rural migrants (Hwang et al, 2007). Other causes of psychosocial problems include the erosion and loss of cultural capital and the associated social support systems, as well as forced transition away from traditional livelihoods (Hwang et al, 2007).…”

Disturbance preceding displacement: Development practice in preparation for mining and resettlement

“…In his case, the uncertainty of suspended plans for land access ultimately eroded local entrepreneurship and people's desire to improve their livelihoods or land at the site. Hwang et al (2007) found anticipation of involuntary resettlement was a significant predictor of mental distress in potentially displaced communities at China's Three Gorges Dam. Anticipation of forced migration was linked with rising depression levels in the population, who had limited available social and the psychological resources.…”

“…Aronsson (2009, p. 55) concludes that "the internal change of the preresettled community, triggered by participation and negotiation, might be one of the elements that cause a society to disarticulate in the implementation phase". These and other empirical cases (Hwang, Xi, Cao, Feng, & Qiao, 2007;Koirala et al, 2017) have drawn attention to the way that local people are affected by planning and preparations, even though they may not have experienced a displacement event. The La Granja case study constitutes another example of social impacts in the predisplacement phase.…”

“…Prior research highlights that people targeted for displacement are just as likely to experience the postresettlement impoverishment impacts during predisplacement, particularly given that plans for large-scale infrastructure projects are routinely suspended and prolonged (Guggenheim, 1993b;Hwang et al, 2007;Koirala et al, 2017;Perera, 2014b). This research suggests that academics must better engage with the predisplacement impacts of Resettlement with Development.…”