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The Massachusetts General Hospital Textbook on Diversity and Cultural Sensitivity in Mental Health pp 165–187Cite as

Understanding the Mental Health of Refugees: Trauma, Stress, and the Cultural Context

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Part of the book series: Current Clinical Psychiatry ((CCPSY))

Abstract

In 2011 approximately 800,000 individuals were forcibly displaced from their homes and fled their countries. While the number of refugees generated that year was the highest in over a decade [1] it represents only 2 % of the overwhelming 42.5 million forced migrants. Most refugees flee their homes with little time to prepare [2] and, in turn, frequently are ill-equipped with the financial, linguistic, and other resources needed to address the challenges of their journey that lies ahead. The nature of the pre-migration and flight experiences for refugees, which are frequently marked by fear, forced departure, and experiences of torture and trauma, distinguishes them from other voluntary migrants. As Papadopoulos [3] stated, “…it is important to remember the obvious fact that becoming a refugee is not a psychological phenomenon per se; rather, it is exclusively a sociopolitical one, with psychological implications” (p. 301). As refugees resettle in third party countries, sometimes after prolonged stays in refugee camps, many experience mental health problems associated with past trauma, ongoing stress, or both. Since 1975 approximately three million individuals have been resettled in the USA [5]; this represents an important population to respond to clinically. In order to effectively serve this population, mental health professionals including, academics, researchers, and clinicians will need to understand the impact of the refugee experience and cultural context on psychological functioning. This chapter will review the unique mental health challenges and culturally adapted assessments and treatments targeting some of the world’s most vulnerable, yet resilient, populations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 21 Autumn Street, 1st floor, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    B. Heidi Ellis Ph.D.

  2. Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Kate Murray Ph.D., M.P.H.

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Colleen Barrett M.P.H.

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  1. Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Ranna Parekh

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Ellis, B.H., Murray, K., Barrett, C. (2014). Understanding the Mental Health of Refugees: Trauma, Stress, and the Cultural Context. In: Parekh, R. (eds) The Massachusetts General Hospital Textbook on Diversity and Cultural Sensitivity in Mental Health. Current Clinical Psychiatry. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8918-4_7

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