Psychiatric assessment of children and families in immigration detention – clinical, administrative and ethical issues

Psychiatric status of asylum seeker families held for a protracted period in a remote detention centre in Australia

“…In combination with the research by Mares and Jureidini,34 this study is the f irst of its kind nationally and inter nationally to report the mental status of whole families held in asylum detention centres. All families had been held in detention for two or more years.…”

Policy Statement on the Incarceration of Undocumented Migrant Families

“…Furthermore, prolonged detention has been shown to have a long-term effect on the psychological health of refugees which persists after the detention (Steel et al, 2004(Steel et al, , 2006. Again at an Australian detention center, among the 16 adults and 20 children interviewed, all of the children had at least one parent with a psychiatric disorder (Mares & Jureidini, 2004). Of the 10 children (ages 6-17 years old) that were able to undergo a psychological assessment, 100% met criteria for both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression, 80% exhibited self-harming behaviors, and 70% exhibited symptoms of an anxiety disorder.…”

“…Of the 10 children (ages 6-17 years old) that were able to undergo a psychological assessment, 100% met criteria for both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression, 80% exhibited self-harming behaviors, and 70% exhibited symptoms of an anxiety disorder. The children also reported difficulty sleeping, poor concentration, little motivation to study, a sense of hopelessness, overwhelming boredom, thoughts of death and dying, and recurrent para-suicidal ideation (Mares & Jureidini, 2004).…”

The mental health of detained asylum seeking children

“…A recent review into the mental health of detained asylum seeking people identified three studies on children and adolescents [17], all of which had been carried out in Australia, but adequate data is provided in only two [12,19]. Most of the infants showed developmental delays, and disturbed emotional states [12].…”

“…Most of the infants showed developmental delays, and disturbed emotional states [12]. The majority of the schoolage children and adolescents had posttraumatic stress disorder, depression and also high levels of hopelessness, deliberate self-harm, and oppositional defiant disorder [12,19].…”