From symptom to context : a review of the literature on refugee children΄s mental health

Part of : Hellenic journal of psychology ; Vol.4, No.3, 2007, pages 233-256

Issue:
Pages:
233-256
Section Title:
Social development and social context
Author:
Abstract:
In this paper, we aim to review the growing body of research on the psychosocialwell-being of refugee children. We start with an overview of the chronological models for therefugee experience that conceptualize the process of forced migration as a long-term adversecontext of cumulating risk factors, functioning as a pervasive threat to refugee children'smental health. Next, we briefly summarize the literature on refugee children's mental healthas the starting point for a critical reflection on the dominance of the symptom-focused,trauma-centred approach which characterises much of refugee research. Drawing from this,we argue for the pertinence of research on refugee children's mental health from a familyperspective. Finally, we propose a model for the refugee family experience, which integratesmultiple individual, family and cultural processes, and we organise existing findings onrefugee families in relation to six domains of the refugee family life.
Subject:
Subject (LC):
Keywords:
family perspective, mental health, refugee children
Notes:
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