Traumatic events, daily stressors and posttraumatic stress in unaccompanied young refugees during their flight: a longitudinal cross-country study

Abstract

Background Unaccompanied young refugees constitute an especially vulnerable population, reporting high rates of trauma and mental health problems. There is a significant gap in the literature on trauma and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in unaccompanied young refugees who are still on the move and live in precarious circumstances such as refugee camps. This study therefore aimed to contribute to this gap by investigating pre- and peri-migration (potentially) traumatic experiences of unaccompanied young refugees; longitudinal trajectories of trauma, daily stressors and PTSS; and the impact of gender, trauma, and daily stressors on PTSS over time. Methods This longitudinal, mixed-method, and multi-country study was conducted in various settings (e.g. refugee camps, reception centers) across nine European countries. A heterogeneous sample of N = 187 unaccompanied young refugees (78.4% male) from 29 different countries was assessed via interviews at 3 time-points during a period of 27 months. Data was analyzed via growth curve modelling. Results Prevalence rates of (potentially) traumatic experiences ranged from 29.5 to 91.9%. Peri-migration traumatization remained stable over time (b = − 0.02; p = 0.371), but the number of reported daily stressors (b = − 0.24; p = 0.001) and PTSS scores significantly decreased over time (b = − 0.98; p = 0.004). Females reported higher PTSS compared with males at baseline (p = 0.002), but gender did not influence the longitudinal trajectory of PTSS. The pre-migration trauma load and daily stressors at baseline did not have a significant effect on PTSS at baseline or on the longitudinal trajectory. Conclusions This is the first study to document not only the high numbers of traumatic events for unaccompanied young refugees pre- and peri- migration, but also the continued traumatization during flight, as well as high rates of daily stressors and PTSS. Humanitarian and political assistance is urgently needed to curb the often life-threatening conditions unaccompanied young refugees face during migration.

The impact of daily stressors on unaccompanied young refugees’ mental health: A longitudinal study.

“…It also makes sense with regard to the transit situation, particularly in the Greek and Italian samples, since participants tended to move away from the precarious living conditions in southern Europe. Another possible explanation is that SLEs, which many participants experienced before and after their arrival in Europe, were still more salient at that point in their trajectories (Pfeiffer et al, 2022). This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers.…”

“You are merely a Nigerian prostitute”: Sexual stigma and labeling of Nigerian victims of trafficking in Italy.

“…These experiences of stigma and discrimination while settling in a new country might damage women’s social interactions with host communities, creating what Goffman (1963) called a “spoiled identity.” Yet, they also have negative health consequences, including ill-health and health disparities (Williams et al, 2016), increased risks of nonbiological ageing and death (Bécares et al, 2015), and severe mental health problems (see e.g., Mougenot et al, 2021; Pfeiffer et al, 2022; Verelst et al, 2022). This might add and connect to the mental health consequences of the repeated experiences of various forms of interpersonal violence that these women experienced (Montesanti & Thurston, 2015), this includes racism since “racists target the human body, perceived as a source of dangerous and contagious pollution” (Venkatesan, 2019, p. 14).…”

Developing a Collaborative Approach to Support Access and Acceptability of Mental Health Care for Refugee Youth: An Exploratory Case Study with Young Afghan Refugees

“…In 2023, 36.4 million refugees worldwide fled their home countries in search of protection [ 1 ]. Refugee children and adolescents make up a considerable group; their life trajectories are marked by pre-migratory stressors of war, atrocities, deprivation and loss or imprisonment of family members, further compounded by cumulative stressors during their flight, including separation from family networks, exploitation and threatening life conditions [ 2 , 3 ]. Once in the host country, they face multiple stressors such as cultural adaptation, residence insecurity, economic distress, social isolation and discrimination [ 4 ].…”