Subjective Well-Being of Afghan Refugees in Pakistan: The Moderating Role of Perceived Control in Married Men

Reevaluating Locus of Control Among Older Karen Refugees in Long-Term Resettlement: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Recent literature has applied locus of control (LOC), a psychological measure for understanding individuals' perceived control, to forcibly displaced populations. An internal LOC is generally considered beneficial for well-being in the Western context. However, the cross-cultural validity of this construct warrants further examination. This study aimed to capture the lived experiences of older Karen refugees in resettlement. Through this open-ended exploration, a narrative of subjective control emerged that diverged from Western assumptions. Notably, findings revealed that a sense of external LOC, viewed positively, was the cultural norm for this group, challenging the universality of Western LOC constructs and their presumed relationship to well-being.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of forced displacement and long-term resettlement among 10 older Karen refugees (age 55 and older) from Burma, utilizing in-depth interviews and interpretative phenomenological analysis.

RESULTS

Findings highlighted 4 emergent themes that underscore a divergence from the individualistic assumptions underlying the LOC construct, emphasizing an external LOC, collective orientation, familial interdependence, and community support networks.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Findings underscore a divergence from the individualistic assumptions underlying the LOC construct, emphasizing how older Karen refugees collectively navigate aging and displacement by relying on familial and communal support. This study reveals that traditional applications of the LOC construct may not fully capture the complex realities of refugees from collective cultures, suggesting the need for culturally sensitive research methodologies and culturally adapted psychometric measures and intervention strategies.

Exploring the Relationship Between Experiences of Violence and Subjective Wellbeing: A Cross-Sectional Survey Among School Teachers in Nyarugusu Refugee Camp in Tanzania

Experiences of violence have been reported to be associated with lower levels of subjective wellbeing (SWB). However, little is known about this association in conflict settings and among forcibly displaced populations. In this study we exploit data from a representative sample of refugee teachers from Nyarugusu Refugee Camp collected as part of a larger study, to examine the association between demographic characteristics and SWB, and between experiences of violence and SWB. Three cross-sectional surveys of primary and secondary school teachers were conducted, collecting data on lifetime experience of violence (physical and sexual) and SWB (measured by life satisfaction and current happiness, on 1-5 Likert scales). Linear mixed models were used to estimate the associations between violence and SWB accounting for teacher and school clustering, unadjusted and adjusted for main factors associated with SWB. The 3 surveys included 1,666 responses completed by 885 teachers. Country of origin and number of meals consumed per day were strongly associated with SWB. Individuals who experienced physical violence reported on average, 0.13 lower life satisfaction scores (95% CI [-0.23, -0.02], p = .016) compared to those who did not experience physical violence, while survivors of sexual violence reported on average, 0.24 lower happiness scores ([-0.43, -0.05], p = .014) compared to those who did not experience sexual violence, after adjusting for confounders and clustering. We found an important negative association between past experience of violence and SWB in a refugee camp setting. These findings contribute to the evidence that violent experiences are likely to have a long-lasting impact on people's wellbeing. There is a need for improved mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings.

Factors Contributing to Resilience Among First Generation Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers: A Systematic Review

Objectives: We aimed at 1) collating and evaluating the current evidence on factors contributing to resilience of adult transnational migrants, 2) identifying methodological factors which contribute to the findings, 3) identifying and analyzing promotive and preventive factors contributing to the findings. Methods: A systematic search for relevant studies published until 2021 was conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, PTSDPubs, and Web of Science. Both, quantitative and qualitative peer-reviewed observational studies reporting on resilience and wellbeing, sense of coherence, or post-traumatic growth outcomes among transnational migrants (aged 18+). Risk of Bias was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program for qualitative studies and the Appraisal Tool for cross-sectional studies. Due to the heterogeneity of studies we did a narrative review. Results: Database search yielded 3,756 unique records, of those n = 80 records, representing n = 76 studies met the inclusion criteria. The studies provided knowledge on resilience for n = 9,845 transnational migrants across 23 countries. All studies except two were cross sectional. N = 45 reported on resilience, n = 4 on Sense of Coherence and n = 15 on Post-Traumatic Growth. The study methods were not related to the findings. Future orientation, hope and religion/spirituality, caring for others and having opportunities were shown to be more pertinent to resilience outcomes than institutional care structures. Conclusion: Our findings highlight that mental health professionals and policymakers should try to support positive perspectives for the future and encourage policies tailored towards giving refugees opportunities to work, learn and care and to help others.

Risk perception and mental health among college students in China during the COVID-19 pandemic: A moderated mediation model

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, it has spread on a large scale around the world, seriously affecting people's physical and mental health. In China, almost all schools have postponed semesters, suspended offline classes, and implemented closed-off management, which has brought significant challenges to the study and life of college students. The study aimed to explore the relationship between risk perception, perceived stress, perceived control, and mental health among Chinese college students. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,856 college students. The results showed that risk perception was positively correlated with mental health. After adding the mediating variable of perceived stress, risk perception still significantly predicted mental health. In addition, the interaction term of perceived stress and perceived control significantly negatively predicted mental health. Specifically, perceived stress significantly affected mental health in the low-perceived control group. In contrast, in the high-perceived control group, the predictive effect of perceived stress on mental health disappeared. The present study showed that perceived stress partially mediated the relationship between risk perception and mental health; perceived control moderated the relationship between perceived stress and mental health, and high perceived control could buffer the effect of perceived stress on mental health.

The Eudemonic Wellbeing of Volunteers in a Public Health Emergency: COVID-19 in China

With improvements in the public awareness regarding volunteer opportunities, more people are participating in social work, particularly during emergency events. The mental health of volunteers has been attracting more academic attention due to its increasing social significance. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior, a qualitative interview was conducted to identify important attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control factors guiding people's volunteering behaviors in an emergency context. Then, a sequential quantitative survey was implemented based on the results of the qualitative study to explore the impact of the aforementioned factors and job involvement on eudemonic well-being. The moderating role of empathy in these relationships was also investigated in this nested design. The results indicate that behavioral attitudes, perceived control, and job involvement have significant positive effects on volunteers' eudemonic well-being. A high perspective taking (cognitive empathy) of volunteers positively moderates the relationship between job involvement and eudemonic well-being, while high personal distress (affective empathy) buffers this relationship. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed in relation to emergency volunteer activities.

[Locus of Control and the Psychological Quality of Life Among Migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa in Germany: Results of a Representative Survey]

AIM OF THE STUDY

Many people with an African migration background in Europe are affected by discrimination and racism because of their skin color and culture and have a below-average socioeconomic status and quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to find starting points for improving the integration and QoL of people with a migration background from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) living in Germany.

METHOD

For the first time, a sample of 518 people from SSA (19-56 years) living in Germany was interviewed via an online survey in three languages about the psychological QoL and their locus of control as an indicator of their adjustment performance.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

The results of the nationwide survey pointed to a significant strong positive association between locus of control and psychological QoL among people from SSA in Germany (p<.010; r=.49). Here, age, length of residence in Germany, occupational group, and educational attainment were significantly related to locus of control beliefs and mental QoL. A multiple regression model showed that, among the socioeconomic and sociodemographic factors, educational attainment was a significant predictor for the relationship between psychological QoL and locus of control. About 24% of the variance in mental health was explained by locus of control beliefs and educational attainment. Education is a starting point for interventions to promote integration and mental health of migrants from SSA at different stages of life.

Psychometric Properties of the Subjective Wellbeing Assessment Scale—French Version (SWBAS-18F): A Study With Young Refugees and Internally Displaced People in Nigerien Refugee Camps

The aim of our research was to identify an easy-to-administer instrument for evaluating wellbeing in an at-risk population of young internal displaced people and young refugees in sub-Saharan Africa ( N = 462). To this end, we adapted the French-language 17-item version of the Subjective Wellbeing Assessment Scale (SWBAS—French version) and evaluated its factor structure, using a combination of exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. We observed five underlying factors (positive functioning, negative functioning, human insecurity, school domain, and social domain) and 17 items. Participants’ scores on the positive functioning, negative functioning, and social domain subscales were associated with their levels of psychological distress, and the statistical outcomes provided support for practical adoption of the instrument. The SWBAS-17F may, therefore, represent user-friendly instruments that practitioners might use alongside adaptations of more traditional diagnostic tools to obtain a complete and holistic assessment of refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced people.

Measuring subjective well-being in an understudied population of young Western-African IDPs and refugees

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report a real-life empirical case and discuss some caveats emerged in measuring subjective well-being (SWB) in an understudied population of adolescents refugees from West Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

During the process of translation and cultural adaptation of the subjective well-being assessment scale in the target population, the model of measurement presented some weakness with regard to content validity criteria.

Findings

This leads to a partial revision of the model and the development of new locally-based domains of SWB.

Originality/value

Context-specific factors’ robustness showed the dynamic and culture-informed nature of the SWB construct. Practical and theoretical implications of using quantitative questionnaires in non-western contexts characterized by high grades of insecurity and instability will be discussed.