Communal proactive coping strategies among Tamil refugees in Norway: A case study in a naturalistic setting

Abstract

BackgroundAn exclusive focus on individual or family coping strategies may be inadequate for people whose major point of concern may be collective healing on a more communal level.MethodsTo our knowledge, the current study is the first to make use of ethnographic fieldwork methods to investigate this type of coping as a process in a natural setting over time. Participant observation was employed within a Tamil NGO in Norway between August 2006 and December 2008.ResultsTamil refugees in Norway co-operated to appraise their shared life situation and accumulate resources communally to improve it in culturally meaningful ways. Long term aspirations were related to both the situation in the homeland and in exile. However, unforeseen social events created considerable challenges and forced them to modify and adapt their coping strategies.ConclusionsWe describe a form of coping previously not described in the scientific literature: Communal proactive coping strategies, defined as the process by which group members feel collectively responsible for their future well-being and co-operate to promote desired outcomes and prevent undesired changes. The study shows that proactive coping efforts occur in a dynamic social setting which may force people to use their accumulated proactive coping resources in reactive coping efforts. Theoretical and clinical implications are explored.

Political violence, health, and coping among Palestinian women in the West Bank.

“…Interestingly, along with reliance on religious support, in our tests of moderation with political violence in the past month, the protective effects of reliance on political support approached significance for both General Health and MH ( B = 27.966, β = .194, p = .092; B = 18.625, β = .178, p = .099, respectively). In line with these findings, research has shown the importance of collective and prosocial forms of coping for both women generally, as well as for survivors of political conflict (Guribye, Sandal, & Oppedal, ; Wells, Hobfoll, & Lavin, ). Findings from our study demonstrate the importance of investigating just how support from institutions, and people's willingness and abilities to ask for help and information from these institutions, factors into the relationship between health and political violence.…”

Individual and Collective Dimensions of Resilience Within Political Violence

“…In another example, researchers uncovered what they termed "communal proactive coping strategies" that helped Tamil refugees who were survivors of civil war deal with the effects of the war and with resettlement. These communal proactive coping strategies included forming common goals, accumulating shared resources, and establishing new organizations and networks to research and address mental health problems (Guribye, Sandal, & Oppedal, 2011).…”

Solicitantes de asilo y sus familias en Bodo, Noruega ¿Sin espacio para la resiliencia?

“…A este se suma el estudio de Guribye (2011) sobre los factores comunitarios de resiliencia en el pueblo Tamil procedente de la India y asentado en Noruega, del cual se puede concluir que "las comunidades de origen de las personas desplazadas, funcionan como familias sustitutas en el contexto de refugio". (Guribye, 2011citado por Villacieros, 2016. A estos dos estudios sobre solicitantes de asilo y resiliencia en Noruega, en la bibliografía reciente se suma la indagación de Øien y Sønsterudbråten (2011) sobre limitaciones en la movilidad social asociada con el trabajo y la educación en migrantes irregulares, ya citado anteriormente.…”