Children's Experience of Loss by Parental Migration in Inner-City Jamaica.

Abstract

Migratory separation, when parents migrate and leave their children behind, was investigated in a case-control sample of 9- to 10-year-olds living in inner-city communities in Kingston and St Andrew, Jamaica (N = 54). Data analyses using descriptive statistics and bivariate correlations showed that children's reactions to their parents' migration were directly related to poor school performance and psychological difficulties. Additionally, being currently exposed to violence in the home and/or community was significantly associated with high scores on a measure of grief intensity. "Protective" factors included having someone to talk to about the migration and living in a supportive family. Migratory separation needs detailed investigation like that devoted to other childhood family disruptions, such as parental divorce or death.

A Counselling Framework for Caribbean Children and Families Who Have Experienced Migratory Separation and Reunion

“…These responsibilities, combined with a poorly organised or functioning home often leave the child anxious, confused and at risk of psychological damage. Additionally, school performance which is one of the main tasks of childhood, gets affected (Pottinger 2005a). This is likely due to the emotional impact of the parent-child separation, lack of effective parenting from the surrogate and migrant parent, as well as the children adopting a casual attitude as they wait to migrate and join their parent(s).…”

“…On the one hand, there is the perception by members in the community that these children are now better off (Bauer and Thompson 2006), a view that is usually conveyed to the children and is seemingly supported by the increase in material possessions provided by the migrant parent (Crawford-Brown 1999). On the other hand, many of these children report a sense of abandonment and immense loss as well as guilt for having such feelings (Pottinger 2005a). Grieving for the loss of the parent thus can be confusing to the child and is often stymied by family and friends.…”

“…The children involved report a mixture of loneliness, anger, joy, sadness and strong feelings of abandonment, despite most being in regular contact with their migrating parent(s) (Jones et al 2004;Pottinger 2005a). While neither of these studies differentiated the impact on children based on the gender of the migrating parent, there are studies that suggest that the circumstances surrounding children left behind are highly variable.…”

“…Psychosocial outcomes identified in children and adolescents include poor mental health, such as depression, suicidal ideation, and poor self esteem (Pottinger 2005a;Jones et al 2004;Smith et al 2004) and poor school performance (Pottinger 2005a). Further, when loss of parent through migration was compared with other parental loss, including death and parental divorce or 'break up,' children whose parents had migrated reported a more pervasive negative impact on their well-being (Pottinger 2005b).…”

“…Studies out of the Caribbean suggest that children of migrant parents can face enduring lengthy periods of separation, sometimes up to 10 years (Crawford-Brown 1999;Jones et al 2004;Pottinger 2005a), before they are reunited with the parent either in their homeland or overseas. Psychosocial outcomes identified in children and adolescents include poor mental health, such as depression, suicidal ideation, and poor self esteem (Pottinger 2005a;Jones et al 2004;Smith et al 2004) and poor school performance (Pottinger 2005a).…”