An interdisciplinary framework examining culture and adaptation in migrant children and adolescents

Abstract Background Compared to their indigenous peers, migrant children and adolescents are at increased risk for mental health problems. The aim of our study was to compare psychological disorders of children and adolescents with Turkish migration background and their native Austrian peers. Methods We analysed 302 children and adolescents aged between 7 and 18 years. The sample consisted of 100 Austrian and 100 Turkish outpatients with mental health problems, and 102 healthy controls, 52 with Austrian and 50 with Turkish background, recruited from various Viennese local child and youth centres. Results Native patients had more frequently externalizing problems (42.1%) compared to the Turkish-speaking sample (28%). However, in the control group, Turkish-speaking children and adolescents had higher levels of internalizing, depressive and anxiety symptoms compared to their native peers. Conclusions We found noticeable differences in psychological problems among children and adolescents with and without migration background. We assume that migration-related stress factors are responsible for these differences. Also, children and adolescents with migration background seek for psychological help less frequently than their indigenous peers.

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Hospital Admissions among Returning Migrant Children and Adolescents

International Migration Review ◽

10.1111/j.1747-7379.2001.tb00040.x ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 35 (3) ◽

pp. 772-783

Author(s):

Lauri Vuorenkoski ◽

Varpu Penninkilampi ◽

Hanna Ebeling ◽

Irma Moilanen

Keyword(s):

Children And Adolescents ◽

Hospital Admissions ◽

Migrant Children

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Moving Children: Lacunae in Contemporary Human Rights Protections for Migrant Children and Adolescents

Revue européenne de migrations internationales ◽

10.4000/remi.6747 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 35-57 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jacqueline Bhabha

Keyword(s):

Human Rights ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Migrant Children

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Attitudes towards treatment of migrant children and adolescents and their families among child and adolescent psychiatrists: current clinical practice and developmental perspectives

Diversity & Equality in Health and Care ◽

10.21767/2049-5471.100003 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

B Kirkcaldy ◽

AF Furnham ◽

N Dogra ◽

RG Siefen

Keyword(s):

Clinical Practice ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Child And Adolescent ◽

Migrant Children ◽

Current Clinical Practice

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Transcultural Differences in Risk Factors and in Triggering Reasons of Suicidal and Self-Harming Behaviour in Young People with and without a Migration Background

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17186498 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (18) ◽

pp. 6498

Author(s):

Zeliha Özlü-Erkilic ◽

Thomas Wenzel ◽

Oswald D. Kothgassner ◽

Türkan Akkaya-Kalayci

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Young People ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Suicidal Behaviour ◽

Attempted Suicide ◽

Suicide Attempts ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Acute Stress ◽

Migration Background ◽

Migrant Children

Minors with and without migration background can have different risk factors and triggering reasons for self-harming and suicidal behaviour. We retrospectively analysed the data of 192 children and adolescents to investigate the transcultural differences in self-harming, as well as suicidal behaviour in Austrian, Turkish, and Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian (BCS)-speaking patients, who were treated in an emergency out-patient clinic in Vienna. Our results showed transcultural differences in both behaviours. In all groups, females had higher rates of suicide attempts and self-harming behaviour than males. While Turkish-speaking patients received treatment more often, after attempted suicide, Austrians and BCS-speaking patients needed treatment more often for acute stress disorder. Suicide attempts and self-harming behaviours were triggered most frequently by intrafamilial problems, but more frequently in migrant patients. Turkish-speaking patients were at a more than 2 times (OR = 2.21, 95%CI: 1.408–3.477) higher risk for suicide attempts, and were triggered almost 3 times (OR = 2.94, 95%CI: 1.632–5.304) more often by interfamilial conflicts. The suicide attempts of BCS-speaking minors were more often caused by relationship and separation crises (OR = 2.56, 95%CI: 1.148–5.705). These transcultural differences in suicidal and self-harming behaviour of minors, demand an increase of transcultural competence to provide optimal treatment of migrant children.

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