Understanding the Mental Health of Refugees: Trauma, Stress, and the Cultural Context

Ellis, B. Heidi; Murray, Kate E.; Barrett, Colleen

doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-8918-4_7

Cited by 24 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…These factors lead to a difficult comparison of the study outcomes. However, according to several study results and meta-analyses pooling data from research with refugees originating from multiple countries resettling in western and non-western nations, refugees suffer up to ten times more frequently from anxiety disorders, depression or PTSD than the general population [ 14 , 15 , 24 , 25 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The prevalence and risk factors for mental distress among Syrian refugees in Germany: a register-based follow-up study

et al. 2020

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Background: Mental disorders among refugees as well as their risk factors are already well documented in crosssectional reports. However, longitudinal follow-up designs are widely lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the change of the prevalence of mental disorders among Syrian refugees with German residence permission, taking into account their increasing length of stay in Germany, and to uncover the change in their relationship to pre-and post-migration risk factors. Methods: This study formed part of a register-based follow-up study with two measurement points in Erlangen (Germany). At the first time of recruitment in 2017, 200 of the 518 Syrian refugees with residence permission living in Erlangen took part. During the second survey timeframe 1.5 years later, in 2019, 108 of the former 200 Syrian refugees participated again and formed the total sample for this follow-up study. The survey instruments included demographics, migration-related variables and symptoms of post-traumatic stress (Essen Trauma Inventory, ETI), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-PHQ-9) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7). Results: At the time of the first survey, 26.9% of the participants exceeded the cutoff for a clinically relevant depression diagnosis, 16.7% for an anxiety disorder and 13.9% for a PTSD diagnosis. At the second measurement point, it was 30.6% for depression, 15.7% for an anxiety disorder and 13.0% for PTSD. No significant changes between the measurement points were found for any of the disorders. In multiple linear regression analyses, higher perceived discrimination, a higher number of traumatic experiences and a shorter duration of residence permission were shown to be the most important pre-and post-migration predictors of psychological stress independent of the time of measurement.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The prevalence and risk factors for mental distress among Syrian refugees in Germany: a register-based follow-up study

et al. 2020

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“…The circumstances causing the refugees to flee their countries make this displacement different from other types of voluntary migration, as it is frequently characterized by forced departure, fear and traumatic experiences. This feature often leads to refugees experiencing, once they are settled, mental health problems and a significant deterioration in their mental health [ 4 , 5 ] and wellbeing [ 6 ]. In particular, refugees have a high prevalence of mental disorders, specifically post-traumatic stress disorder and depression [ 7 , 8 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prejudice and Feeling of Threat towards Syrian Refugees: The Moderating Effects of Precarious Employment and Perceived Low Outgroup Morality

Vallejo-Martín

Canto

García

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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Refugees frequently experience traumatic situations that result in the deterioration of their psychological well-being. In addition, perceived prejudice and discrimination against them by the host society can worsen their mental health. In this research study, using a Spanish sample, prejudice towards Syrian refugees is analyzed taking into account feeling of threat (realistic or symbolic), precarious employment, and perceived outgroup morality. Using a total of 365 participants, our results reveal that individuals feel more prejudice towards refugees when the former scored higher in realistic threat and symbolic threat, were in a highly precarious situation of employment and perceived refugees as being more immoral. Furthermore, it was found that persons who scored high in realistic threat and at the same time were in a situation of precarious employment, were those who displayed greater prejudice. The results likewise pointed to individuals who scored high in symbolic threat and in outgroup morality as being those who felt greater rejection towards the refugees. Accordingly, our results confirm the importance of feeling of threat in relation to prejudice, and highlight two important moderating factors: precarious employment and perceived outgroup morality.

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“…They emphasize the responsibility of the clinician to be aware of cultural factors and larger systemic barriers that refugees may face. Ellis, Murray, and Barrett () also provide a list of questions for therapists when they begin working with refugees.…”

Section: Refugee Mental Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transnational Intersectionality in Family Therapy With Resettled Refugees

Gangamma

Shipman

2017

J Marital Family Therapy

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In this article, we discuss incorporating the transnational intersectionality framework in family therapy with resettled refugees. Transnational intersectionality is an extension of the framework of intersectionality which helps to better understand complexities of power and oppression across national contexts and their influence on refugees' lives. Adopting this framework alerts family therapists to: (a) develop critical awareness of refugee's transnational contexts; (b) understand differences in experiences of social identities across contexts; (c) acknowledge postmigration factors of oppression affecting resettlement; and (d) critically reflect upon therapist-interpreter-client intersectionalities. This shifts our conceptualization of therapy with refugees to actively consider transnational contexts which refugees uniquely occupy. We describe the framework and provide two case illustrations to highlight its usefulness.

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Understanding the Mental Health of Refugees: Trauma, Stress, and the Cultural Context

Cited by 24 publications

References 78 publications

The prevalence and risk factors for mental distress among Syrian refugees in Germany: a register-based follow-up study

The prevalence and risk factors for mental distress among Syrian refugees in Germany: a register-based follow-up study

Prejudice and Feeling of Threat towards Syrian Refugees: The Moderating Effects of Precarious Employment and Perceived Low Outgroup Morality

Transnational Intersectionality in Family Therapy With Resettled Refugees

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