A Systematic Review of Autobiographical Memory and Mental Health Research on Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Abstract

Research examining trauma, memory, and mental health among refugee and asylum-seeking people has increased in recent years. We systematically reviewed empirical work focusing on the link between autobiographical memory and mental health among these populations. The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42018095888). Six major databases were searched in August-2020 with no time limit for publication. Following PRISMA Statement guidelines, 22 articles reporting ten quantitative, nine qualitative, and three mixed-method studies were selected from 254 articles identified in the initial search. A basic convergent and qualitative meta-integration technique was employed for data extraction. Four recurrent themes were extracted: (1) memory activation method, (2) memory features, (3) memory content, and (4) refugee mental health. Theme 1 illustrates that narrative interviews, important event recall, and cue word methods were used in most studies. Theme 2 highlights that memories of refugee people were often less specific, inconsistent, and negative-focused. Retrieval failure was also common among these people. Theme 3 reveals that refugee and asylum-seeking people frequently discussed their abandoned identities, lost resources, injustices, ongoing sufferings, and pointless futures. Finally, theme 4 identifies the prevalence of various mental health conditions like Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, helplessness, and anger among these people. The results are discussed in the context of the current autobiographical memory and mental health theories, considering refugee-specific experiences in the asylum process and refugee status.

The Experience of Legal Transition for Refugee and Asylum-Seeking Children

“…The importance of tailored, trauma-informed care and support services that acknowledge the unique experiences of refugee and asylum-seeking children cannot be overstated. Additionally, the discussion around legal transitions and the psychosocial impact on refugee children finds further support in the work by Khan, Kuhn, & Haque (2021), which examines the interrelation between autobiographical memory, mental health, and the asylum-seeking process (Khan et al, 2021). This interconnectedness underscores the complexity of addressing the needs of this vulnerable population, highlighting the necessity for comprehensive, multidisciplinary approaches to care and support.…”

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Refugees

“…Refugees have also been shown to have poorer retrieval of specific autobiographical memories (Graham et al 2014), which may be the case particularly for trauma memories in refugees with PTSD (Wittekind et al 2017). The impoverished retrieval of specific memories correlates with evidence that refugees often report inconsistent memories (Khan et al 2021). Trauma memories change over time in refugees; longitudinal studies indicate that the memories that are most distressing remain stable for only a minority of refugees (Panter-Brick et al 2015).…”

Behavioral, neurological, and psychiatric frailty of autobiographical memory

“…The richness in retrieving specific autobiographical memories is related to the individual's well-being (Hakamata et al, 2021;Khan et al, 2021;Sutin et al, 2021). Traumatic brain injury for long is related to severe memory disturbances (Russell, 1935(Russell, , 1971Symonds, 1962).…”