IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ibn/ijpsjl/v17y2025i3p25.html

Economic Stability, Resilience, and Life Satisfaction among Afghan Refugees Residing in Pakistan

Author

Listed:
  • Bibi Kainat Khilji
  • Saima Ambreen

Abstract

Background- Forced displacement presents multifaceted challenges, particularly in economic and psychological domains. This study examined the interplay between economic stability, resilience, and life satisfaction among Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan. Methods- A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a sample of 602 Afghan refugees, utilizing validated instruments- the Household Economic Security Scale (HESS), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Pearson correlation, linear regression, and mediation analysis were employed to test the proposed relationships. Results- Economic stability demonstrated significant positive associations with both resilience and life satisfaction. Resilience was also positively linked to life satisfaction. Mediation analysis revealed that resilience partially mediated the relationship between economic stability and life satisfaction, suggesting that financial security contributes to well-being both directly and indirectly through enhanced psychological resilience. Conclusion- The findings highlight the importance of strengthening both economic opportunities and psychological resilience to enhance the long-term adjustment and quality of life of refugee populations.

Suggested Citation

  • Bibi Kainat Khilji & Saima Ambreen, 2025. "Economic Stability, Resilience, and Life Satisfaction among Afghan Refugees Residing in Pakistan," International Journal of Psychological Studies, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 17(3), pages 1-25, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:ibn:ijpsjl:v:17:y:2025:i:3:p:25
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijps/article/download/0/0/52140/56771
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijps/article/view/0/52140
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Miller, Kenneth E. & Rasmussen, Andrew, 2010. "War exposure, daily stressors, and mental health in conflict and post-conflict settings: Bridging the divide between trauma-focused and psychosocial frameworks," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(1), pages 7-16, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sarah Berens & Sabrina Karim, 2024. "Quotidian crime, wartime violence and public goods preferences: Evidence from Liberia," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 61(4), pages 545-559, July.
    2. Seguin, Maureen & Lewis, Ruth & Amirejibi, Tinatin & Razmadze, Mariam & Makhashvili, Nino & Roberts, Bayard, 2016. "Our flesh is here but our soul stayed there: A qualitative study on resource loss due to war and displacement among internally-displaced women in the Republic of Georgia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 239-247.
    3. Hinton, Devon E. & Nickerson, Angela & Bryant, Richard A., 2011. "Worry, worry attacks, and PTSD among Cambodian refugees: A path analysis investigation," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(11), pages 1817-1825, June.
    4. Johnson, Blair T. & Acabchuk, Rebecca L., 2018. "What are the keys to a longer, happier life? Answers from five decades of health psychology research," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 218-226.
    5. Esko Nummenmaa & Thaer Allaw, 2023. "Fragile Solace: Navigating toward Wellbeing in ISIS-Occupied Mosul in 2014–2017," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-14, November.
    6. Arne H Eide & Karin Dyrstad, 2019. "PTSD as a consequence of past conflict experience, recent exposure to violence and economic marginalization in post-conflict contexts: A study from Nepal, Guatemala and Northern Ireland," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 65(6), pages 488-495, September.
    7. Alice Einloft Brunnet & Christian Haag Kristensen & Nathália dos Santos Lobo & Daniel Derivois, 2022. "Migration experience and mental health: A qualitative study in France and Brazil," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 68(2), pages 376-383, March.
    8. Fatin Atrooz & Chiara Acquati & Arunima Bhattacharjee & Omar F. Khabour & Sally Aljararwah & Samina Salim, 2025. "Post-Migration Stress and Mental Health Outcomes: A Comparative Study of Syrian Refugee Women in Houston and Jordan," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-16, January.
    9. Jayawickreme, Nuwan & Mootoo, Candace & Fountain, Christine & Rasmussen, Andrew & Jayawickreme, Eranda & Bertuccio, Rebecca F., 2017. "Post-conflict struggles as networks of problems: A network analysis of trauma, daily stressors and psychological distress among Sri Lankan war survivors," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 119-132.
    10. Panter-Brick, Catherine & Eggerman, Mark, 2018. "The field of medical anthropology in Social Science & Medicine," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 233-239.
    11. McQuaid, Jennifer H. & Mandavia, Amar & Cassidy, Galen & Silva, Michelle Alejandra & Esmail, Kaiz & Aragula, Shreya & Gamez, Gigi & McKenzie, Katherine, 2024. "Persecution as stigma-driven trauma: Social determinants, stigma, and violence in asylum seekers in the United States," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 350(C).
    12. Kathleen Ford & Aree Jampaklay & Aphichat Chamatrithirong, 2022. "Psychiatric symptoms among migrants to Malaysia from the southernmost provinces of Thailand," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 68(3), pages 533-540, May.
    13. Eggerman, Mark & Panter-Brick, Catherine, 2010. "Suffering, hope, and entrapment: Resilience and cultural values in Afghanistan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(1), pages 71-83, July.
    14. Sangalang, Cindy C. & Jager, Justin & Harachi, Tracy W., 2017. "Effects of maternal traumatic distress on family functioning and child mental health: An examination of Southeast Asian refugee families in the U.S," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 178-186.
    15. Gagnon, Anita J. & Dougherty, Geoffrey & Wahoush, Olive & Saucier, Jean-François & Dennis, Cindy-Lee & Stanger, Elizabeth & Palmer, Becky & Merry, Lisa & Stewart, Donna E., 2013. "International migration to Canada: The post-birth health of mothers and infants by immigration class," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 197-207.
    16. Bratti, Massimiliano & Mendola, Mariapia & Miranda, Alfonso, 2015. "Hard to Forget: The Long-Lasting Impact of War on Mental Health," IZA Discussion Papers 9269, IZA Network @ LISER.
    17. Kathleen Ford & Aree Jampaklay & Aphichat Chamratrithirong, 2018. "Coming of age in a conflict area: Mental health, education, employment, migration and family formation in the southernmost provinces of Thailand," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 64(3), pages 225-234, May.
    18. Daoud, Nihaya & Shankardass, Ketan & O’Campo, Patricia & Anderson, Kim & Agbaria, Ayman K., 2012. "Internal displacement and health among the Palestinian minority in Israel," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(8), pages 1163-1171.
    19. Cole, Steven M. & Tembo, Gelson, 2011. "The effect of food insecurity on mental health: Panel evidence from rural Zambia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(7), pages 1071-1079.
    20. Kathleen Ford & Aree Jampaklay & Aphichat Chamratrithirong, 2017. "Mental health in a conflict area: Migration, economic stress and religiosity in the three southernmost provinces of Thailand," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 63(2), pages 91-98, March.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ibn:ijpsjl:v:17:y:2025:i:3:p:25. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Canadian Center of Science and Education (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cepflch.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.