Unsettled integration: Pre- and post-migration factors in Congolese refugee women’s resettlement experiences in the United States

Wachter, Karin; Heffron, Laurie Cook; Snyder, Susanna; Nsonwu, Maura; Busch-Armendariz, Noël

doi:10.1177/0020872815580049

Cited by 42 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 27 publications

(24 reference statements)

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“…However, similarly to many studies in the field, samples included males and females and the gendered nature of the refugee journey was not fully addressed. The experiences of refugee women-at-risk, who are without male protection, are likely to be qualitatively different from other refugee groups, often involving gender-related violence such as rape or sexual bartering [ 14 – 16 ]. Such gender-based assaults are likely to have additional physical and social ramifications, including pregnancies and community ostracism [ 17 , 18 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recently resettled refugee women-at-risk in Australia evidence high levels of psychiatric symptoms: individual, trauma and post-migration factors predict outcomes

Schweitzer

Vromans

Brough

et al. 2018

BMC Med

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BackgroundDespite increasing numbers of refugee women-at-risk being resettled and their potential vulnerability, there exists no empirical research into the psychiatric health of this unique subgroup with which to guide policy and practice. This research aimed to investigate psychiatric symptom status of a sample of refugee women-at-risk recently resettled in Australia, as well as factors contributing to symptoms of trauma, anxiety, depression, and somatization. The level of psychiatric symptomatology is compared to reference groups of women from Sudan and Burma, who entered Australia under the Humanitarian Entry Programme, and who did not meet criteria as women-at-risk.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional survey of 104 refugee women-at-risk across several ethnic groups including a demographic questionnaire, the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, Post-migration Living Difficulties Checklist, and Hopkins Symptom Checklist to assess individual factors, traumatic experiences, post-migration problems, and symptoms of trauma, anxiety, depression, and somatization. A series of multiple hierarchical regression analyses examined factors predicting psychiatric symptoms.ResultsSubstantial proportions of participants reported psychiatric distress in symptomatic ranges, including for traumatization (41%), post-traumatic stress disorder (20%), anxiety (29%), and depression (41%), as well as significant symptoms of somatization (41%). These findings are significantly higher than those derived from reference groups of women from Sudan or Burma, resettled in the same area and utilizing a similar methodology. Higher numbers of trauma events and post-migration living difficulties predicted higher trauma, depression, and somatic (but not anxiety) symptoms. Having children predicted higher trauma, anxiety, and somatic symptoms. Greater English fluency predicted higher anxiety symptoms. Region of birth predicted anxiety and depression symptoms. Age predicted trauma and anxiety symptoms.ConclusionsFindings suggest that recently arrived refugee women-at-risk are at high risk of psychiatric disorders. The results indicate a need for comprehensive psychiatric assessment to identify women in need of treatment very early after resettlement, with implications for medical practice, service delivery, and policy programs.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recently resettled refugee women-at-risk in Australia evidence high levels of psychiatric symptoms: individual, trauma and post-migration factors predict outcomes

Schweitzer

Vromans

Brough

et al. 2018

BMC Med

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“…We also need more qualitative studies, such as by using in-depth interviews and ethnographic research, to unpack the nuances of migrant workers' work and life experiences, and this is especially important for some migrant subgroups who are facing more potential disadvantages and barriers than others. For instance, increasing attention has been paid to the work and life experiences of women refugees, who face heightened difficulty in finding employment and/or achieving career advancement, due to various reasons including family duties, educational background and gender role perceptions (Koyama 2014;Wachter et al 2016). Due to that our knowledge about these migrant subgroups is still scarce, and that it can be difficult to acquire large, representative samples from them, qualitative studies are particularly useful in revealing the work and life experiences of these populations.…”

Section: Methodological Approaches In Studying Migrantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vocational Experiences and Quality of Life of Migrants: Overview and Future Research

et al. 2017

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Quality of life is a complicated concept that has attracted broad attention from multiple disciplines. This article introduces a set of studies that employ diverse approaches to explore how work, vocational, and career experiences shape quality of life among migrants, and proposes a future agenda to extend this stream of research. Specifically, operationalizing quality of life in different ways, research showcased in this special issue has demonstrated how international and intranational migrants achieve, maintain, and enhance their wellbeing in different life domains. Reflecting on the literature and the showcased studies, this article proposes that future research should advance the current inquiry by better categorizing vocational experiences, uniquely operationalizing of quality of life in migration contexts, taking a more culturally sensitive perspective, and broadening methodological approaches. Abstract Quality of life is a complicated concept that has attracted broad attention from multiple disciplines. This article introduces a set of studies that employ diverse approaches to explore how work, vocational, and career experiences shape quality of life among migrants, and proposes a future agenda to extend this stream of research. Specifically, operationalizing quality of life in different ways, research showcased in this special issue has demonstrated how international and intranational migrants achieve, maintain, and enhance their well-being in different life domains. Reflecting on the literature and the showcased studies, this article proposes that future research should advance the current inquiry by better categorizing vocational experiences, uniquely operationalizing of quality of life in migration contexts, taking a more culturally sensitive perspective, and broadening methodological approaches.

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“…On the other hand, being able to live in the community, instead of in immigration detention, provides opportunities for learning the local language and developing contacts with members of the majority groups and thus enhancing human and social capital. Such interaction is found to be important for refugees in other countries (Wachter et al 2016). However, tittle is known about the potential effects of such refugee immigration experiences during their resettlement in Australia.…”

Section: Control Variablesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Labour Force Participation and Employment of Humanitarian Migrants: Evidence from the Building a New Life in Australia Longitudinal Data

2017

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Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in AbstractThis study uses the longitudinal data from the Building a New Life in Australia survey to examine the relationships between human capital and labour market participation and employment status among recently arrived/approved humanitarian migrants. It includes attention to the heterogeneity of labour force participation and employment status across genders and also migration pathways. We find that the likelihood of participating in the labour force is higher for those who had preimmigration paid job experience, completed study/job training and have job searching knowledge/skills in Australia and possess higher proficiency in spoken English. We find that the chance of getting a paid job is negatively related to having better pre-immigration education, but it is positively related to having unpaid work experience and job searching skills in Australia, and better health.

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Unsettled integration: Pre- and post-migration factors in Congolese refugee women’s resettlement experiences in the United States

Cited by 42 publications

References 27 publications

Recently resettled refugee women-at-risk in Australia evidence high levels of psychiatric symptoms: individual, trauma and post-migration factors predict outcomes

Recently resettled refugee women-at-risk in Australia evidence high levels of psychiatric symptoms: individual, trauma and post-migration factors predict outcomes

Vocational Experiences and Quality of Life of Migrants: Overview and Future Research

Labour Force Participation and Employment of Humanitarian Migrants: Evidence from the Building a New Life in Australia Longitudinal Data

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