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Sultani G, Heinsch M, Wilson J, Pallas P, Tickner C, Kay-Lambkin F. 'Now I Have Dreams in Place of the Nightmares': An Updated Systematic Review of Post-Traumatic Growth Among Refugee Populations. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2024; 25:795-812. [PMID: 37097092 PMCID: PMC10666490 DOI: 10.1177/15248380231163641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Trauma exposure places refugees at serious risk of developing mental health difficulties. However, research also recognizes that refugees can respond to trauma with psychological development and growth, commonly referred to as post-traumatic growth (PTG). An updated systematic review was conducted to investigate PTG across different refugee populations, including the processes that mediate this phenomenon, and the use of therapy in promoting PTG. A systematic search of CINAHL Complete, Proquest 5000, PsychINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science was performed to identify studies exploring PTG in refugee populations, published between June 2013 and November 2021. In all, 26 studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. Quantitative results reveal a positive correlation between PTG and religious commitment and coping, and the effectiveness of narrative and community-based interventions in facilitating PTG. Qualitative results facilitate insight into the complex ways refugees find meaning and strength after trauma through religion, comparison-based thinking, helping others, and storytelling. Findings highlight the need for future research and interventions to recognize the distinct PTG experiences of different refugee populations.
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Tesfai A, Captari LE, Meyer-Weitz A, Cowden RG. Coping Resources among Forced Migrants in South Africa: Exploring the Role of Character Strengths in Coping, Adjustment, and Flourishing. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 21:50. [PMID: 38248515 PMCID: PMC10815753 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21010050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
This phenomenological qualitative study explored how forced migrants in South Africa cope with violent, traumatic experiences and precarious resettlement conditions. Data came from a larger empirical project examining migration, psychological distress, and coping. In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 refugees and asylum seekers (Mage = 30.27, SDage = 9.27; male = 71.43%) who migrated from five African countries to Durban, South Africa. Despite overwhelming stressors, participants described pathways to transcend victimhood and hardship through engaging character strengths in ways that promote post-traumatic growth. Qualitative analysis revealed five overarching domains: spirituality and religiousness, love and kindness, hope and optimism, persistence and fortitude, and gratitude and thankfulness. Findings are framed within positive existential psychology and dual-factor understandings of mental health, which attend to both human suffering and flourishing. Limitations, future research directions, and clinical and community implications are discussed, with attention to the role of character strengths in adaptive coping and psychological well-being. The intergenerational transmission of strengths is explored as one potential means of buffering intergenerational trauma impacts and promoting family post-traumatic growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aron Tesfai
- Discipline Psychology, School of Applied Human Science, College of Humanities, Howard College Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa;
| | - Laura E. Captari
- The Albert and Jessie Danielsen Institute, Boston University, Boston, MA 02446, USA;
| | - Anna Meyer-Weitz
- Discipline Psychology, School of Applied Human Science, College of Humanities, Howard College Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa;
| | - Richard G. Cowden
- Human Flourishing Program, Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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Von Arcosy C, Padilha M, Mello GL, Vilete L, Luz MP, Mendlowicz M, Serpa OD, Berger W. A bright side of adversity? A systematic review on posttraumatic growth among refugees. Stress Health 2023; 39:956-976. [PMID: 36949033 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Until the third trimester of 2022, 103 million people worldwide had been forced to leave their homes and become refugees. The traumatic experiences of refugees can lead not only to mental disorders but also to Posttraumatic Growth (PTG). (1) To find the variables positively and negatively associated with PTG in refugees. (2) To investigate the relationship between PTG and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among refugees. We systematically searched Medline, Web of Knowledge, PsycInfo, Scopus, and PTSD Pubs for studies about PTG in refugees. Epidemiological studies using the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Grey literature, reviews, and meta-analysis. Risk of bias was assessed by the 'The Joanna Briggs Institute Prevalence Critical Appraisal Tool'. We included 24 studies investigating PTG and associated factors. The factors positively associated with PTG were social support, regular migration status, religiosity, satisfaction with life, time, and problem-focussed and emotion-focussed coping. The factors negatively associated with PTG were: irregular migration status, emotional suppression, and avoidance coping. Studies on PTG in refugees are essential to finding new ways to address mental health in this field. Few studies offered risk of bias, particularly regarding the sample selection. We conclude that PTG may be influenced by many factors and it would be of importance that the centres for support, as well as public policies, took that into account to foster the outcome and not only to focus on disease. This study was partially supported by CAPES and registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020215607).
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheyenne Von Arcosy
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mariana Padilha
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Lorran Mello
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Liliane Vilete
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mariana Pires Luz
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mauro Mendlowicz
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Octavio Domont Serpa
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - William Berger
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Kim H, Kim O, Kim KA, Chu SH, Chung ML. The moderating role of neighborhood social cohesion in the mediation effects of the loneliness between acculturation stress and post-traumatic growth among female North Korean defectors. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16965. [PMID: 37806980 PMCID: PMC10560661 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43741-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Loneliness negatively predicts post-traumatic growth (PTG) among North Korean defectors (NKD), one of the representative groups of refugees. Additionally, evidence also suggests that females, who account for 70% of NKDs entering South Korea, are vulnerable not only to past trauma but also to the current acculturation stress and loneliness affected by neighborhood social cohesion. This study explores whether the mediating effect of loneliness on the relationship between acculturation stress and PTG was moderated by the neighborhood social cohesion among female NKDs. In this study, the data of 166 female NKDs who completed an online survey regarding acculturation stress, PTG, loneliness, and neighborhood social cohesion were used. Moderated mediation analysis was conducted using SPSS PROCESS macro program. Loneliness was associated with PTG (B = - 1.896, p < 0.001), and mediated the association between acculturation stress and PTG (indirect effect = - 0.278, 95% LLCI - 0.403, 95% ULCI - 0.166). Neighborhood social cohesion moderated the mediation effect of loneliness on the association between acculturation stress and PTG (B = - 0.016, 95% LLCI 0.001, 95% ULCI 0.035). The indirect effect of acculturation stress on PTG through loneliness was notably high for those with low neighborhood social cohesion. Therefore, increasing neighborhood social cohesion would reduce loneliness caused by acculturation stress and support the positive growth among female NKDs. This represents the most effective approach to aiding female NKDs in achieving growth, even after suffering trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hokon Kim
- College of Nursing and Brain Korea 21 FOUR project, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ocksim Kim
- College of Nursing and Brain Korea 21 FOUR project, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung-A Kim
- Department of Nursing, Suwon Women's University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Hui Chu
- College of Nursing, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Mo-Im Kim Nursing Research Institute, College of Nursing, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Misook L Chung
- College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
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Al Beainy S, El Hassan K. Coping strategies and personal growth: The case of Palestinian refugees in Shatila camp, Lebanon. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1083998. [PMID: 36968712 PMCID: PMC10034374 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1083998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the relationship between coping strategies used by adolescent refugees in the Palestinian refugees' Shatila camp in Lebanon and posttraumatic growth. Moreover, the study explored and predicted the impact of coping strategies utilized by adolescent Palestinians in Shatila camp, Lebanon on their personal growth and psychological well-being. Data were collected using two questionnaires and a checklist: (a) LEC-5 checklist as an assessment tool to make sure that all the participants have faced or experienced stressful events, (b) questionnaires including the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ) to find out the style of coping refugees used, and (c) Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) to identify the factors of growth refugees developed as a result of using different coping strategies. Sixty adolescent refugees at one of the centers in the camp (31 females and 29 males) who benefited from counseling services participated in the study. Adolescent refugees' performance on the checklist and questionnaires revealed the prevalence of stressors among the refugees. The coping strategies mostly utilized were problem-focused coping strategies, as there was a correlation between its factors and some coping strategies, and there were coping strategies used that predict the development of growth among. Finally, as for the counseling and training programs and services, interventions and guidance services seem to better prepare refugees to handle and cope with the stress that they encounter to develop personal growth.
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Kangaslampi S, Peltonen K, Hall J. Posttraumatic growth and posttraumatic stress - a network analysis among Syrian and Iraqi refugees. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2022; 13:2117902. [PMID: 36186157 PMCID: PMC9518504 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2022.2117902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traumatic events related to war and displacement may lead to development of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), but many war trauma survivors also report experiencing posttraumatic growth (PTG). However, the phenomenon of PTG remains poorly understood among refugees. Previous findings are also contradictory on whether more PTSS associate with PTG and what specific symptoms or aspects of growth may account for any possible link. OBJECTIVE AND METHOD Here, we aimed to better understand posttraumatic growth among refugees, especially its structure and most important constituent elements, as well as how it associates with PTSS. We employed regression and network analysis methods with a large sample (N = 3,159) of Syrian and Iraqi refugees living in Turkey self-reporting on PTG and PTSS. RESULTS We found PTG and PTSS to be clearly distinct phenomena. Still, they often co-occurred, with a positive, slightly U-shaped relationship found between levels of PTSS and PTG. The main bridge between the constructs was identified from intrusive symptoms to having new priorities in life, although new priorities were more peripheral to the overall network structure of PTG. Meanwhile, discovering new psychological strengths and abilities and a new path in life emerged as elements most central to PTG itself. CONCLUSIONS Many refugees report elements of PTG, even as they suffer from significant PTSS. The two phenomena appear distinct but positively associated, supporting the idea that intense cognitive processing involving distress may be necessary for growth after trauma. Our findings may inform efforts to support refugee trauma survivors in finding meaning and perhaps even growth after highly challenging experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuli Kangaslampi
- Faculty of Social Sciences / Psychology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Kirsi Peltonen
- Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,INVEST Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jonathan Hall
- Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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