Prevalences of mental distress and its associated factors in unaccompanied refugee minors in Germany

Prevalences for mental disorders within minor refugees are comparatively high and heterogeneous. To reduce heterogeneity and identify high-risk subgroups, we compared unaccompanied refugee minors (URM) to accompanied refugee minors (ARM) regarding depressive symptoms and mental distress. Furthermore, we examined associative factors of mental distress in URM on a broad scale. We conducted a survey with a cross-sectional design in four German University hospitals. The sample consisted of n = 172 URM and n = 52 ARM aged 14–21. Depressive symptoms were assessed via the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Mental distress was assessed by the Refugee Health Screener (RHS-15). Mann–Whitney test was used to examine differences between URM and ARM. Associated factors of mental distress were evaluated via a stepwise multiple regression analysis. URM showed significantly higher mean scores for PHQ-9 (p < .001) and RHS-15 (p < .001) compared to ARM indicating medium effect sizes. Furthermore, URM were significantly more likely to surpass the cut-off for depression (61.6% vs. 30.8%) and overall mental distress (81.4% vs. 53.8%) compared to ARM. The factors Number of stressful life events (SLE), Female gender, and Fear of deportation were found to be associated with an increased mental distress in URM, whereas Weekly contact to a family member, School attendance, and German language skills were accompanied with lower distress scores. All six factors accounted for 32% of the variance of mental distress in URM (p < .001). Within minor refugees, URM are a highly vulnerable subgroup, which should receive particular attention and more targeted measures by health authorities. Our results indicate that these measures should comprise a rapid promotion of family contact, school attendance, language acquisition, and the fast processing of asylum applications. However, the cross-sectional design limits the interpretability of the results.

Miteinander musizieren

This article critically reflects a week-long music project that involved students of the music pedagogy master's programme at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and unaccompanied minor refugees of the nearby transit center. The project highlights the potential of musical activities, such as playing music, listening to and talking about music, dancing and building instruments, in the transcultural context of refugee work and points to the need for further research in this area. The evaluation of the project focuses on the benefits for the Swiss music students and the impact on their pedagogic practice and transcultural understanding, rather than the young asylum seekers. Particularly in the context of cultural education, where unequal power relations and dependencies exist, contents and representations must be carefully examined. Ethnomusicologists, through their academic training and practical activities, are sensitized to recognize and dismantle neocolonial structures and approaches. Applied ethnomusicology, which is actively involved in solving concrete problems faced by minority individuals and groups, has developed the necessary tools and is therefore particularly suitable for informing the training and challenging the pedagogic practices of prospective music teachers and educators.

Nutritional Behavior and Status of Unaccompanied Minor Refugees in the Moria Camp, Lesbos, Greece

Greece faces a migration crisis caused by thousands of refugees coming from the Middle East and Africa to overwhelmed camps that try to fulfill at least their basic needs including diet as a humanitarian aid. The aim of the survey is to determine both the eating habits and possibilities and objective anthropometric parameters to evaluate the nutritional status of unaccompanied children under 18 years of age in the Moria refugee camp on the island of Lesbos, Greece. The survey has found that the respondents are completely dependent on the food provided by the camp. 87% of them reported starvation at least once a week, 24% are underweight. The energetic value of the provided food is insufficient as compared to their real needs. We have encountered serious complaints about the catering but have also found that more than half of the respondents state that they would be able to cook for themselves. These minor refugees are also at risk of starting with smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol.

Explaining psychosocial care among unaccompanied minor refugees: a realist review

Research on the psychosocial care (PSC) of unaccompanied minor refugees (UMRs) has mainly taken a socioepidemiological approach and has focused on the perspectives of experts in the field. In contrast, the knowledge concerning the differing context factors and the underlying mechanisms of current PSC which could inform policy recommendations is scant. The study aims at unravelling the contexts, mechanisms and outcomes of PSC for UMRs. For a realist review (RR), scientific evidence and gray literature were synthesised consistent with the RAMESES publication standards for realist synthesis. Based on an iterative keyword search in electronic databases (e.g., PubMed) and screening, 34 works from 2005 to 2019 were included in a realist synthesis. Theory-informed context–mechanism–outcome configurations (CMOs) were extracted, to explain underlying processes and mechanisms. Characterised by their interrelatedness, the dominant CMOs included the UMRs’ intersections of transitions (e.g., adolescence and migration), their needs for culture-, and gender-sensitive PSC, and the undersupply of PSC. These contexts and outcomes are mediated by pre-, peri- and post-migratory stressors as well as care structures and are moreover influenced by overarching discourses and concepts. They comprise adverse and beneficial mechanisms in the PSC of UMRs. The existing literature grasps the PSC of UMRs by different disciplines and approaches but does not offer a comprehensive overview on micro–macro intersections and included discourses. The inclusion of lay perspectives and an intersectional approach could inform health service research. The reflection of UMR-related categorical constructs of resilience and vulnerability, discourses of othering, as well as restrictive health policies may guide policy recommendations.

Inobhutnahme minderjähriger Flüchtlinge bei Kontakterhalt mit den Eltern

This work deals with the legal problems of custody procedures. In particular, methods of age determination and alternatives to the appointment of guardians for cases in which unaccompanied minor refugees have good contact with their parents abroad are presented. Alternatives discussed include supplementary guardianship and power of attorney for custody. These alternatives must be examined because a suspension of parental custody must be established for a guardianship to be ordered, and this represents a strong encroachment on the parents’ rights.

RESIDENTIAL CARE IN GERMANY FOR REFUGEE YOUNG PEOPLE

This article analyzes developments in the forms of social work with young refugees and the legal framing of such work in Germany from 1990 to the present. In particular, it addresses the reactions of politicians and the child and youth welfare system to the sharp rise in the number of refugees in 2015 and 2016, and the concomitant significant increase in the number of unaccompanied minor refugees. It underlines the need for an approach based on children’s rights, and the necessity for social workers, especially those involved in helping youth, to resist the policies of deterrence that are aimed at keeping refugees out of Germany.

Living in the Shadow of Political Decisions: Former Refugees’ Experiences of Supporting Newly Arrived Refugee Minors

Intending to support the cultural integration of unaccompanied refugee minors into the Swedish society, the Save the Children charity organization arranged meeting places in 2018 in four municipalities in Sweden. The mentors for the activities at these meeting places were recruited among former refugees who themselves had arrived in Sweden as unaccompanied minors. The study aimed to explore the experiences of being a mentor offering peer support to unaccompanied minor refugees at the meeting places. In this study, four semi-structured group interviews were conducted at the meeting places with 14 mentors, also former refugees. Data were analysed using thematic network analysis. Although the respondents expressed frustration concerning the Swedish migration politics, they all perceived the helping role as of utmost importance and connected this to positive emotions. The study highlights the unique contributions of peer support to the integration process of refugee minors by mentors providing social support, sharing experience-based knowledge and helping minors to navigate an often confusing and complex welfare system.

A systematic review of risk and protective factors of mental health in unaccompanied minor refugees

In recent years, there has been a rising interest in the mental health of unaccompanied minor refugees (UMR), who are a high-risk group for mental disorders. Especially the investigation of predictive factors of the mental health of young refugees has received increasing attention. However, there has been no review on this current issue for the specific group of UMR so far. We aimed to summarize and evaluate the existing findings of specific risk and protective factors to identify the most verified influences on the mental health of UMR. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature search. Study designs were limited to quantitative cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. Eight databases were searched in four different languages and article reference lists of relevant papers were screened. 27 studies were included (N = 4753). Qualitative synthesis revealed the number of stressful life events to be the most evaluated and verified risk factor for mental health of UMR. A stable environment and social support, on the other hand, can protect UMR from developing poor mental health. Besides that, several other influencing factors could be pointed out, such as type of accommodation, family contact, gender and cultural competences. Because of the large heterogeneity of outcome measures, quantitative synthesis was not possible. This review helps to improve our understanding of determinants of UMRs mental health and thus to provide more targeted treatment. Furthermore, it provides information on how to prevent the development of mental health problems by specifying factors that can be modified by different health and immigration sectors in advance. Further research is needed focusing on the interaction between the various predictive factors.