Psychological Distress and the Asylum Process

Abstract

Although asylum seeking has become a major political issue in the Western world, research on its psychological impact is still in its infancy. This study examined levels and predictors of distress among a community sample of persons who have sought asylum in Ireland. A key aim was to provide a longitudinal analysis of the relationship between legal status security and psychological distress. Distress was measured by the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised at Time 1 (N = 162) and its shorter version (the Brief Symptom Inventory) at Time 2 (N = 70). Levels of severe distress were high at both baseline (46%) and follow-up (36%). The only persons to show a decrease in distress were those who had obtained a secure legal status (e.g., refugee status or residency) between the study phases. Distress risk factors included female gender, an insecure legal status, separation from children, discrimination, and postmigration stress. Protective factors were social support (Time 1) and the presence of a partner. The findings suggest that asylum seekers are a high-risk group for distress. This risk can be reduced by appropriate policy changes and interventions to increase social resources.

Between power and powerlessness: a meta-ethnography of sources of resilience in young refugees

“…Traumatic experiences in the past fueled their uncertainty, and their position in their host country often reinforced this uncertainty. In light of this finding, we think that offering young refugees more opportunities to acquire a meaningful role in their social environments can reduce their sense of powerlessness and give them strength (see also Betancourt 2005;Ryan, Benson, and Dooley 2008). We must recognize their abilities, their power, and their potential instead of focusing only on their vulnerabilities (Sleijpen et al 2013).…”

Is legal status impacting outcomes of group therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder with male asylum seekers and refugees from Iran and Afghanistan?

“…In the studied sample, no statistically significant differences in the treatment outcomes were found between asylum seeking patients (who were not granted a refugee status during treatment) and refugee patients who had obtained a refugee status before entering the treatment. However, we had expected that the treatment would be more effective for refugees than asylum seekers since asylum seekers are exposed to more clustered post migration living problems than refugees, and post migratory stressors are found to be significantly related to worse mental health outcomes [6,10,40]. In interpretation of our results, we speculate that the group setting may have provided all patients with enough holding, safety and support, has enhanced or enlarged their coping skills and enabled them to manage resettlement stressors in a more adequate way.…”

“…In our sample, the patients who were granted a permanent refugee status in a course of the treatment showed stronger reductions on all assessed symptom categories, i.e., anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms. This finding is understandable since it was already hypothesized that resettlement stress caused by uncertainty about asylum decisions has a negative impact on the mental health of asylum seekers [9], that PTSD in asylum seekers and refugees is shaped by conditions of ongoing threat and insecurity in a country of asylum [41,42], and that a decrease in distress can be observed upon obtaining a secure legal status (e.g., refugee status or residency) [43]. Another possible explanation for this finding is that gaining a refugee status restored feelings of safety and control over life in patients.…”

Factors Shaping the Lived Experience of Resettlement for Former Refugees in Regional Australia

“…Impacts of the migration experience include increased risks to health and adverse effects on psycho-social functioning associated with adjusting to a new environment [3,13,16]. Studies mostly focused on former refugees' pre-arrival circumstances [17][18][19][20], with less thought to the experience of resettlement, with its overwhelming obstacles [21] and current realities. Several areas are therefore highlighted as in need of further investigation, including a need to explore and acknowledge experiences of resettlement [5], to pick up where previous studies have fallen short by exploring how trauma impacts experiences of resettlement [11], as well as looking at how discrimination may be experienced in employment and in accessing housing [12,15], particularly in regional areas where barriers to access to health and support services are pronounced [22].…”