Ecologies of Resilience for Australian High School Students from Refugee Backgrounds: Quantitative Study

Resilience and its association with mental health among forcibly displaced populations: A systematic review and meta-analyses

BACKGROUND

Forcibly displaced populations are growing exponentially and are at increased risk of experiencing mental health difficulties. However, it remains unclear if, and how, their resilience and mental health are associated. This systematic review and meta-analyses investigated the relationship between resilience and mental health outcomes among forcibly displaced groups.

METHODS

MEDLINE Ultimate, APA PsycInfo and SCOPUS were searched up until January 2024. Peer-reviewed studies measuring a statistical association between resilience and mental health among forced migrants were eligible for inclusion. Random-effects meta-analyses for each identified mental health category were conducted. Study quality was evaluated using the National Institutes of Health Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies.

RESULTS

Thirty-one studies were included in the review (n = 6656). Meta-analyses revealed a significant negative association between resilience and symptoms of post-traumatic stress (k = 13, n = 2446, r = -0.15, 95 % CI [-0.23; -0.06]), depression (k = 14; n = 2952, r = -0.34, 95 % CI [-0.41; -0.26]), anxiety (k = 7, n = 1516, r = -0.19, 95 % CI [-0.27; -0.11]), and psychological distress (k = 10; n = 2712, r = -0.29, 95 % CI [-0.36; -0.23]).

LIMITATIONS

Effect sizes were highly heterogenous, most studies recruited small samples using non-random sampling strategies, and data was collected cross-sectionally.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings point to an association between resilience and mental health difficulties in forcibly displaced groups. Directions for future research are discussed.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO (CRD42023395925).

Health assets among refugees in Australia: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

A health assets-based approach seeks to identify health-promoting or protective factors across multiple levels. Evidence of the health assets of refugees at the individual, family, and community levels in Australia is scarce. We aimed to synthesise current evidence from Australia to identify refugee health assets and explore how they influence health and well-being. We explored existing strengths that can be harnessed to ensure sustainable, equitable, and culturally responsive health interventions.

METHODS

We systematically reviewed qualitative and quantitative observational and experimental Australian studies. We searched MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, psych INFO, Web of Science Core Collection and SCOPUS, and used Covidence software for screening and collating articles. We adapted a health assets model for this study using four intersectoral domains and applied it to data extraction and qualitative content analysis.

FINDINGS

Twenty-nine observational studies were included in this review. Studies reported a relationship between health assets and improved physical, mental, and social well-being of refugees resettled in Australia. A sense of belonging and identity, resilience, acculturation, and well-being most frequently intersect with social capital. This was built through engagement with family and friend networks, participation within cohesive and friendly cultural and host communities, and involvement with religious and educational organisations. Access to education, employment, and community-based activities positively impacted the well-being of refugees.

CONCLUSION

A health assets model is a valuable approach to examining protective factors. Refugee social capital and connectedness are strongly linked to resilience, acculturation, health, and well-being. Further research is needed using participatory assets mapping to examine the effects of co-produced interventions that harness the assets of diverse refugee groups to improve health and well-being.

Resilience Mechanisms and Coping Strategies for Forcibly Displaced Youth: An Exploratory Rapid Review

Context: The global escalation of conflict, violence, and human rights violations sets a pressing backdrop for examining the resilience of forcibly displaced youth (FDY) in Canada. This study aims to unpack the multifaceted challenges and resilience mechanisms of FDY, focusing on their health, well-being, and integration into host communities. It seeks to identify current models of resilience, understand the factors within each model, and highlight gaps and limitations. Methodology: Using a university librarian-supported structured search strategy, this exploratory rapid review searched literature from Ovid Medline and open-source databases, published in English between January 2019 and January 2024, that fit specific inclusion criteria. The eligible articles (N = 12 out of 4096) were charted and analyzed by two student researchers with the Principal Investigator (PI). Charted data were analyzed thematically. Results: The selected studies captured diverse geographical perspectives, resilience models (such as Ungar's ecological perspective and Masten's resilience developmental models), as well as protective and promotive frameworks. Key findings indicate the complexity of resilience influenced by individual, familial, societal, and cultural factors. Each model offers insights into the dynamic interplay of these influences on FDY's resilience. However, these models often fall short of addressing the nuances of cultural specificity, the impact of trauma, and the intersectionality of FDY's identities. Conclusions: Recognizing the diverse and evolving nature of FDY's coping mechanisms, this study advocates for a culturally appropriate approach to resilience that integrates an intersectionality framework of individual attributes and culturally sensitive models.

Young children's development after forced displacement: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To examine the impact of displacement experiences on 0- to 6-year-old children's social-emotional and cognitive development, as well as influencing factors on reported outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN

We systematically searched MEDline, Psyndex, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Elsevier, TandF, Oxford Journal of Refugee Studies, Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, and Canada's Journal on Refugees for existing literature regarding social-emotional and cognitive outcomes in children directly exposed to forced displacement due to political violence. Results were synthesized in the discussion and displayed using harvest plots.

RESULTS

Our search generated 9,791 articles of which 32 were selected for review and evaluation according to NICE criteria. Included studies provided results for 6,878 forcibly displaced children. Measured outcomes were diverse and included areas such as peer relations, prosocial behavior, family functioning, play, intelligence, learning performance, and language development. Repeated exposure to adverse experiences, separation from parents, parental distress, as well as duration and quality of resettlement in the host country were reported as influencing factors in the reviewed studies.

CONCLUSION

As protective factors like secure and stable living conditions help to promote children's development, we call for policies that enhance participation in the welcoming society for refugee families. Early integration with low-threshold access to health and educational facilities can help to mitigate the wide-ranging negative consequences of forced displacement on young children's development.