scholarly journals ChildMove: Transit experiences and mental health of unaccompanied refugee minors

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
I Derluyn ◽  
F Verhaeghe
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Refugee Children ◽  
Systematic Research ◽  
Migration Route ◽  
Unaccompanied Refugee Minors ◽  
The Media ◽  
Refugee Minors

Abstract Since early 2015, the media continuously confront us with images of refugee children drowning in the Mediterranean, surviving in appalling conditions in camps or walking across Europe. Within this group of fleeing children, a considerable number is travelling without parents, the unaccompanied refugee minors. While the media images testify to these flight experiences and their possible huge impact on unaccompanied minors' wellbeing, there has been no systematic research to fully capture these experiences, nor their mental health impact. In this paper, we present the first results of the ERC-Starting Grant Project 'ChildMove', whereby we followed a large group of unaccompanied refugee minors (n = 200) over the course of two years in order to document their transit experiences and the mental health impact of these experiences. Our study started in different transit countries (i.e., Greece, Italy and Belgium; an additional cross-sectional study was carried out in Libya) and from there one we followed the minors wherever they went on their migration route. During this longitudinal follow, we collected data using a mixed-methods approach (i.e., self-report questionnaires on difficult experiences and mental health symptoms and in-depth interviews) at each of the three measurement moments. The data reveal that these youngsters experience a continued series of difficult events during their trajectories, such as being detained, violence at the borders (including borders within Europe), push-backs, abuse by smugglers and other persons, appalling living conditions, racism, etc., but also after (temporary or permanent) settlement in Europe. The participants also report over the course of the follow-up high levels of mental health problems (i.e., symptoms of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress).

New developments in the mental health of refugee children and adolescents

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 72-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Hodes
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Treatment Effectiveness ◽  
Refugee Children ◽  
Unaccompanied Refugee Minors ◽  
New Developments ◽  
Treatment Provision ◽  
Parent Child Relationships ◽  
Models Of Service Delivery ◽  
Refugee Minors

The increase in refugees globally since 2010 and the arrival of many into Europe since 2015, around 50% of whom are under 18 years, have been the stimulus to greater investigation and publications regarding their mental health. This clinical review summarises selected themes in the field as described in the published literature since 2016. The themes include refugee statistics, premigration and postmigration experiences, psychopathology focusing on parent–child relationships, unaccompanied refugee minors and associations between resettlement, acculturation and mental health. Some important reviews and studies are discussed that address service and treatment provision. While there has been a recent increase in research in this field, more is needed into the course of psychopathology, protective factors and the promotion of integration into resettlement countries, as well as models of service delivery and treatment effectiveness.

scholarly journals Drug use and criminality among unaccompanied refugee minors: a review of the literature

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna-Karin Ivert ◽  
Mia-Maria Magnusson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
International Research ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Unaccompanied Refugee Minors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Refugee Minors

Purpose Organisations working with children have acknowledged that unaccompanied refugee minors (URM) across Europe are exposed to environments and situations that put them at risk for becoming addicted to drugs or becoming involved in crime. The purpose of this paper is to study an examination of existing international research concerning URM and of whether, and if so how, issues relating to drug use and criminality among these children are discussed in the international literature. Design/methodology/approach A literature review was conducted using PsycINFO, PubMed, Sociological abstracts and ERIC databases, which together cover the social and behavioural science and also medicine. Findings Findings from the present review show that the issues of drug abuse and criminality among URM are rarely acknowledged in the international research literature. When the occurrence of substance abuse and/or criminality is discussed, it is often in relation to mental health problems and in terms of self-medication, i.e. that alcohol or drugs are used by the URM to cope with painful experiences or mental health problems, and also with the challenges of integrating into a new society, difficulties finding work, unsuitable living conditions and a lack of social support. Originality/value This review shows that several researchers have emphasised that untreated mental health problems, stressful living conditions and a lack of support and control might put these children at risk for substance abuse and criminality, and this suggests a need for further research in this area.

scholarly journals Validating Screening Questionnaires for Internalizing and Externalizing Disorders against Clinical Interviews in 8 to 17-Year-Old Syrian Refugee Children

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona McEwen ◽  
Patricia Moghames ◽  
Tania Bosqui ◽  
Vanessa Kyrillos ◽  
Nicolas Chehade ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Functional Impairment ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Externalizing Disorders ◽  
Parent Report ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Refugee Children ◽  
Screening Questionnaires ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing

Syrian children affected by the civil war are at increased risk of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and externalizing behaviour problems. Screening questionnaires are designed to identify individual children who require further assessment and treatment, and also estimate the need for mental health services in a population. However, few questionnaires have been rigorously tested in this population. This study examined the reliability and validity of questionnaires for depression (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children, CES-DC, self-report, 10-item version), anxiety (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders, SCARED, self-report, 18-item version), PTSD (Child PTSD Symptom Scale, CPSS, self-report), and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ, parent-report version) in a population sample of 8-17 year old Syrian children living in Informal Tented Settlements (ITS) in the Beqaa region of Lebanon. In addition, several ways of measuring functional impairment due to mental health problems were compared. These included self- and parent-report questionnaires (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule, WHODAS-Child; SDQ Impact supplement, parent-report only) and an interviewer rating of severity (Clinical Global Impression–severity, CGI-s). Questionnaires were translated into Arabic and modified based on pilot testing with Syrian children. Responses from N=1006 children and caregivers were used for analysis, a subset of whom had additional clinical interview data (MINI KID + clinical judgement; N=119). The self-report questionnaires showed good internal consistency reliability with alpha>.80, though the parent-report SDQ and WHODAS-Child fell below this level. In terms of validity, the SDQ externalizing scale performed well in differentiating children with conduct problems from those without and it was possible to achieve a fair balance between sensitivity (82%) and specificity (71%). The CES-DC, CPSS, SDQ total difficulties, and WHODAS-Child (selfreport) achieved an acceptable level of validity, though it was harder to achieve a good balance between sensitivity and specificity. In most cases, at least 50% of those screening positive were false positives, meaning that a more in-depth follow up assessment would be required if these tools were used as screeners in a clinical setting. Furthermore, correctionwould be needed if used to estimate prevalence rates for mental disorders in this population. There was moderate convergent validity between measures of functional impairment, with self-report WHODAS-Child showing greater agreement with interviewer ratings when compared to parent-report measures (WHODAS and SDQ Impact). Measuring functional impairment and distress due to mental health problems should help to differentiate children with clinically significant mental health problems from those with subthreshold problems; however, more work will be required to establish how helpful the tools used here are in achieving that aim.

scholarly journals Different Patterns of Mental Health Problems in Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM): A Sequential Mixed Method Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernd Hanewald ◽  
Michael Knipper ◽  
Werner Fleck ◽  
Jörn Pons-Kühnemann ◽  
Eric Hahn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Mixed Method Study ◽  
Unaccompanied Refugee Minors ◽  
Refugee Minors

Is the Refugee Health Screener a Useful Tool when Screening 14- to 18-Year-Old Refugee Adolescents for Emotional Distress?

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (Special_Issue_1) ◽  
pp. i141-i150
Author(s):  
Anna Sarkadi ◽  
Anna Bjärtå ◽  
Anna Leiler ◽  
Raziye Salari
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Refugee Health ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Unaccompanied Refugee Minors ◽  
Refugee Minors

Abstract The high number of asylum seekers in Sweden has highlighted the need for structured assessment tools to screen for refugee mental health problems in clinical services. We examined the utility of the Refugee Health Screener (RHS) in refugee adolescents, aged 14–18, attending routine clinical examinations or staying in group homes/refugee centres (N = 29). Participants completed a survey, including the RHS, administered through iPads in their native language. The RHS showed excellent internal consistency (α = 0.96) and correlated moderately with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (r = 0.41, p = 0.025). Mean scores and prevalence rates were comparable to a study of adult refugees in Sweden. Unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) scored significantly higher (M = 32.0, SD = 12.9) compared to youth staying with their families (M = 7.5, SD = 8.2, p < 0.001, d = 2.27). Our findings confirm that the RHS can be used in the adolescent population in Sweden. These findings moreover suggest that URMs are a particularly vulnerable group with a large burden of mental health problems. In 2015, 162,877 persons sought asylum in Sweden, 35,369 of whom were unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) and another 35,015 children in families (Swedish Migration Agency, 2017). Most URMs (86 per cent) are boys, mainly from Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia and Eritrea, whereas children in families (accompanied refugee minors) more often come from Syria and Iraq with an equal gender distribution. During the asylum process, lasting up to 30 months, children have access to free education and health care. URMs are under the care of the social services and are assigned a legal guardian until they turn 18. Adults are entitled to acute health care and housing but cannot work and have no access to studies. If granted asylum, the person/family is assigned to a municipality that assumes responsibility for them. Thus, on top of adverse events before and during migration, the asylum and resettlement process per se involves stressors and a lack of control for refugees, which increases the risk of developing mental health problems.

scholarly journals Gender differences in the mental health of unaccompanied refugee minors in Europe: a systematic review

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. e022389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lea-Marie Mohwinkel ◽  
Anna Christina Nowak ◽  
Anne Kasper ◽  
Oliver Razum
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Unaccompanied Refugee Minors ◽  
Refugee Minors

ObjectivesOur aim was to summarise the current evidence regarding gender differences in the mental health of unaccompanied refugee minors (URM) and to identify gaps in research.SettingWe focused on quantitative studies presenting primary data from Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development(OECD)countries. Language was restricted to English or German.ParticipantsTo be eligible, a study had to involve (former) URM who immigrated to an OECD country.DesignWe conducted a systematic review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The databases MEDLINE, CINAHL, LIVIVO, PSYNDEX and PsycINFO were searched from 1990 to 2017. Studies were judged for eligibility by two independent reviewers each. We narratively summarised our results.Results9 primary studies, all from Europe, examined gender differences in the mental health of URM. The majority of the included studies found female URM to be more often affected by post-traumatic or depressive symptoms than their male counterparts. There is only weak evidence regarding other mental health outcomes. Two studies each conducted gender-specific analyses on anxiety and externalising behaviour, but no statistically significant differences between female and male URM were detected.ConclusionsFemale gender is associated with a higher vulnerability towards certain mental health problems among URM residing in Europe. However, the lack of representative studies using reliable diagnostic methods indicates that the findings so far should be treated with caution. Further research is needed to clarify the role of gender for mental health in URM and to examine underlying mechanisms.

scholarly journals Child Psychological Adjustment to War and Displacement: A Discriminant Analysis of Resilience and Trauma in Syrian Refugee Children

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (10) ◽  
pp. 2575-2588
Author(s):  
Veronese Guido ◽  
Pepe Alessandro ◽  
Giordano Francesca
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Discriminant Analysis ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Refugee Children ◽  
Refugee Camps ◽  
Trauma Symptoms ◽  
Linear Discriminant ◽  
Wide Range

AbstractThe ongoing war in Syria has led to the displacement of 12 million people since 2011, with minors representing 40% of all refugees. Syrian children living in refugee camps are at risk of developing a wide range of mental health problems, given their previous and ongoing exposure to episodes of violence, disruption of family ties, and discontinuous access to education. In this study, we drew on the salutogenic paradigm to investigate whether, and to what extent, high/low levels of resilience were associated with other indicators of mental health and post-traumatic response in Syrian children living in refugee camps. The sample was composed of 311 Syrian children living in Jordanian refugee camps as a consequence of the war in Syria. We administered quantitative self-report measures to assess participants’ exposure to trauma, individual levels of resilience, and mental health, performing discriminant analysis to examine the association between resilience and trauma/mental health. Syrian children living in Jordanian refugee camps reported intense exposure to traumatic events. The linear discriminant equation supported adoption of the function [Wilk’s Lambda (Λ = 0.827)]: lower levels of resilience were associated with trauma symptoms (re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal) and emotional problems, while higher levels of resilience were associated with pro-social behaviours. The findings of the present study suggest that resilience acts as a protective factor buffering children from the consequences of trauma and challenging life conditions. We discuss the implications for interventions designed to promote the wellbeing and mental health of children living in refugee camps.

28.L. Workshop: Promoting the mental health of refugee minors: mobilising key stakeholders

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Community Intervention ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Discussion Board ◽  
Refugee Children ◽  
Forced Displacement ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Refugee Minors

Abstract According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, there are over 25 million refugees worldwide, over half of whom are under the age of 18. War and conflict is among the leading causes of forced displacement. We know children exposed to war are at an increased risk of developing mental health problems, in particular post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). An international meta-analysis reported a pooled PTSD prevalence estimate of 47 per cent. War exposure is not the only trauma these minors face; multiple and profound trauma is reported during flight and resettlement. Given the scale of forced displacement, related trauma and associated mental health problems, promoting the mental health of refugee minors is a public health priority. The complexity of addressing mental health problems among refugee minors requires all the stakeholders around the child or adolescent to be empowered to provide support. This extends across healthcare, school, community intervention, family and the individual. Fear of jeopardizing asylum applications, stigma, and unfamiliarity with mental health all lead refugees to underreport mental health symptoms. School reportedly plays an important role in societal integration for refugee children. It is paramount to consider the safety aspects of community mental health intervention, including impact on those delivering the interventions. Not least, refugees should be empowered. Reciprocal respect between researchers and refugee minors can facilitate a deeper understanding of the issues at hand and mental health interventions can be designed, delivered and evaluated in a way that is simultaneously useful, useable and desirable. This workshop will bring together international perspectives on how to promote the mental health of refugee minors, with an emphasis on a holistic approach that engages everyone around the child or adolescent. The CHAP research group (Sweden), along with international partners from University of Manchester (UK), will present findings from their research programme to promote the mental health of refugee minors in Sweden and families living in conflict zones. This will provide a springboard for discussion of international approaches and lessons. The objective of the workshop is to leverage combined knowledge and expertise at an international level to enhance public health approaches to promote the mental health of refugee minors. The workshop will start with a mapping exercise to understand which countries are represented in the room. A series of short presentations will be given on strategies and tools to empower: routine health care personnel; school personnel; community intervention facilitators; refugee minors and families. After each presentation, the group will be asked to reflect on knowledge and practice from their country. Written comments will be collected on a digital interactive discussion board. The main points will be summarized ahead of an opportunity for discussion in the room. Key messages Global efforts to promote the mental health of refugee minors, including how to inform and empower key people around the child or adolescent, need to be leveraged. Involvement of refugees as advisors in mental health research has the potential to play a transformative role. It can lead to interventions that are simultaneously useful, useable and desirable.

scholarly journals Barriers for unaccompanied refugee minors in accessing mental health care: Is it the therapy or the therapist?

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S339-S339 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Majumder ◽  
P. Vostanis ◽  
M. O’Reilly
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Service ◽  
Young People ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Treatment Engagement ◽  
Refugee Children ◽  
Service Access ◽  
Unaccompanied Refugee Minors ◽  
Vulnerable Group ◽  
Refugee Minors

IntroductionRefugee children, particularly unaccompanied refugee minors, present with disproportionately high prevalence of mental health and emotional difficulties. However, the mental health service access and treatment engagement of this vulnerable group has been consistently shown to be poorer than the general population. Despite of this, so far there hasn’t been much research to explore the possible underlying reasons or barriers for these young people to access mental health service in their host countries.Aims and objectivesThis research aims to understand unaccompanied refugee children's barriers to access and utilize mental health services. To explore any potential characteristics in the service provision that can be linked with the observed poor treatment engagement and service access is also an objective of this study.MethodsThe study was conducted by using semi-structured interviews with 15 unaccompanied asylum seeking minors and their carers to elicit their views, perceptions and beliefs based on their experience of receiving treatment from a specialist mental health service in the UK.ResultsThe interview transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. The main findings were categorised into two broad themes, the participants’ perceptions of the intervention received, and perception of the professionals involved. The different elements and pertinent issues within these two broad areas were discussed.ConclusionsFindings will help stimulate further exploratory research gaining better understanding of the barriers for these young people to access treatment, and contribute in developing innovative services that are more efficient in engaging this vulnerable group and suitable to meet their specific needs.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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