“They stand in the middle now”: Pathways to meeting psychological needs by adolescents who are refugees from sub-Saharan Africa.

Abstract

Objectives: This study explored the psychological needs of refugee youth from sub-Saharan Africa resettled in a large city in Southwest United States. We utilized the framework of Basic Psychological Needs Theory which proposes that competence, relatedness, and autonomy are universal psychological needs. We examined the challenges to meeting these needs and resolutions to these challenges. Integral to understanding these needs was to place them in the context of a bicultural model of adaptation. Of particular interest was discovering how these young people negotiate and reconcile home and host cultural demands while meeting needs. Method: From July 2019 to August 2020, semistructured individual interviews (N = 44) were completed with youth, parents, and cultural experts. Data were analyzed using a hybrid inductive and deductive approach and thematic content analysis. Results: Active engagement, assertion, and self-advocacy were delineated as important pathways to achieve competence. Relatedness needs were served by inclusive ties, and frequently included other "outsiders." Autonomy came from selfsufficiency, agency, and "voice." Altruism was common, extending beyond ethnic community, and promoted competence, relatedness, and empowerment. Conflicts between family and host culture were managed by accepting parental authority. Parents contributed to integrating home and host cultures by flexibly interpreting traditional rules. Conclusions: Our findings illustrate the strengths of these youth who manage tremendous challenges to meeting their psychological needs. We highlight how in the process of cultural adaptation they retain ties to their home culture. They choose diversity in their relationships and find Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology

The role of temporality in adolescent refugees' sense of well‐being

“…There is evidence that interventions targeting basic psychological need satisfaction can make refugees' lives better (Farello et al, 2019; Rial et al, 2022; Weinstein et al, 2016). Our study adds to these findings by highlighting how reflections on one's life through temporal lenses satisfy adolescent refugees' psychological needs and facilitate their sense of well‐being.…”

“…While only a few studies have analyzed adolescent refugee experiences through the lens of basic psychological need satisfaction (Rial et al, 2022), the existing studies point out the challenges to psychological need satisfaction among refugees (Farello et al, 2019; Weinstein et al, 2016). Our data documented participants' histories of need dissatisfaction, raising the question of why they seemed so well‐adjusted.…”

“…Although refugees' life experiences are likely to endanger basic need satisfaction and, thereby, well‐being (Weinstein et al, 2016), there is currently only a small number of studies addressing how basic psychological need satisfaction might foster well‐being among refugee populations (Albers et al, 2021; Farello et al, 2019; Rial et al, 2022). Further studies on the role of basic psychological need satisfaction in adolescent refugees' well‐being are warranted.…”