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Violation and hope: Refugee survival in childhood and beyond

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  • Lynne McCormack
  • Brigitta Tapp

Abstract

Background: The psychological complexity of refugee status for children is poorly understood. Alone or with family members, child refugees are exposed to multiple and potentially traumatic events, including conflict and human rights deprivation in their country of origin, perilous and life-threatening escape journeys, years of statelessness, and isolation and discrimination in their new host country. Aims: This phenomenological study explored the positive and negative interpretations of four adults as they sought to make sense of their experiences of refugee status as children. Method: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) guided the development of semi-structured interview for data collection and analysis. Results: One superordinate theme, Violation and Hope , overarched three subordinate themes, Violent detachment, Refugee identity , and Resourcefulness and reciprocity . One divergent theme also emerged: Clashing identities . These themes provide unique insight into the interpreted experiences of escaping oppression and persecution in each participant’s country of origin as children, and the ensuing bleak interval as refugees, belonging nowhere. They identify the risk of becoming pawns of opportunism without human rights protection. Once stateless, survival was not guaranteed, producing a stark merging of acceptance of mortality and determined resourcefulness as children. Avoidant coping became a positive tool for surviving ever present threat, and was crucial in defining a life philosophy that was future oriented as they entered adulthood. Conclusion: These participants rejected a ‘refugee victim’ identity, emphasising a legacy of resourcefulness, hope, gratitude and reciprocity, domains of post-traumatic growth which are unreported aspects of refugee well-being that can provide future therapeutic and research direction.

Suggested Citation

  • Lynne McCormack & Brigitta Tapp, 2019. "Violation and hope: Refugee survival in childhood and beyond," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 65(2), pages 169-179, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:65:y:2019:i:2:p:169-179
    DOI: 10.1177/0020764019831314
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Correa-Velez, Ignacio & Gifford, Sandra M. & Barnett, Adrian G., 2010. "Longing to belong: Social inclusion and wellbeing among youth with refugee backgrounds in the first three years in Melbourne, Australia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(8), pages 1399-1408, October.
    2. Steel, Zachary & Momartin, Shakeh & Silove, Derrick & Coello, Marianio & Aroche, Jorge & Tay, Kuo Wei, 2011. "Two year psychosocial and mental health outcomes for refugees subjected to restrictive or supportive immigration policies," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(7), pages 1149-1156, April.
    3. Montgomery, Edith, 2008. "Long-term effects of organized violence on young Middle Eastern refugees' mental health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(10), pages 1596-1603, November.
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    1. Mira Elise Glaser Holthe & Kerstin Söderström, 2024. "Adversarial Growth among Refugees: A Scoping Review," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-39, January.

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