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Waiting for kin: a longitudinal study of family reunification and refugee mental health in Germany

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  • Löbel, Lea-Maria
  • Jacobsen, Jannes

Abstract

Involuntarily or planned – many refugees flee their home country alone, leave behind spouses and children but also siblings, parents and other family members they otherwise care for. Reunification in hosting communities is difficult, as governments limit institutional family reunifications and the individual journey of kin is dangerous and often illegal. Having family abroad is mentally distressing for refugees, as kin might not live in safety. Additionally, reuniting with family members can be a source of support in the new environment. Grounded in theories of mental distress and social support, this analysis investigates the association between family reunifications and refugee mental health in a random sample of refugees in Germany (N = 6610), the IAB-BAMF-SOEP Survey of Refugees 2016–2018. By means of panel fixed-effect regression analysis, we observe institutionally sponsored but also individual moves of other family members. The study finds that family reunification has a positive association with refugee mental health, though not at an equally increasing rate for each additional member of the family. Gender differences show in the size of association, yet significant heterogeneous associations between refugee men and women cannot be observed. Finally, the associations are larger when only observing reunifications with the nuclear family.

Suggested Citation

  • Löbel, Lea-Maria & Jacobsen, Jannes, 2021. "Waiting for kin: a longitudinal study of family reunification and refugee mental health in Germany," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 47(13).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:espost:236199
    DOI: 10.1080/1369183X.2021.1884538
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kühne, Simon & Jacobsen, Jannes & Kroh, Martin, 2019. "Sampling in Times of High Immigration: The Survey Process of the IAB-BAMF-SOEP Survey of Refugees," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    2. Maria Metzing & Diana Schacht & Antonia Scherz, 2020. "Psychische und körperliche Gesundheit von Geflüchteten im Vergleich zu anderen Bevölkerungsgruppen," DIW Wochenbericht, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 87(5), pages 63-72.
    3. Walther, Lena & Kröger, Hannes & Tibubos, Ana Nanette & Ta, Thi Minh Tam & von Scheve, Christian & Schupp, Jürgen & Hahn, Eric & Bajbouj, Malek, 2020. "Psychological distress among refugees in Germany: a cross-sectional analysis of individual and contextual risk factors and potential consequences for integration using a nationally representative surv," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 10(8).
    4. Lindert, Jutta & Ehrenstein, Ondine S. von & Priebe, Stefan & Mielck, Andreas & Brähler, Elmar, 2009. "Depression and anxiety in labor migrants and refugees - A systematic review and meta-analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 246-257, July.
    5. Walther, Lena & Fuchs, Lukas M. & Schupp, Jürgen & Scheve, Christian von, 2020. "Living Conditions and the Mental Health and Well-being of Refugees : Evidence from a Large-Scale German Survey," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 22, pages 903-913.
    6. Ohrnberger, Julius & Fichera, Eleonora & Sutton, Matt, 2017. "The relationship between physical and mental health: A mediation analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 42-49.
    7. Lena Walther & Hannes Kröger & Ana Nanette Tibubos & Thi Minh Tam Ta & Christian von Scheve & Jürgen Schupp & Eric Hahn & Malek Bajbouj, 2019. "Psychological Distress among Refugees in Germany – a Representative Study on Individual and Contextual Risk Factors and the Potential Consequences of Poor Mental Health for Integration in the Host Cou," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 1053, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
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    Cited by:

    1. Frank van Tubergen1,2, & Yuliya Kosyakova & Agnieszka Kanas, 2022. "Conflict intensity in the region of birth increases religiosity among refugees," RFBerlin Discussion Paper Series 2222, ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin (RFBerlin).
    2. Gallegos Torres, Katia & Steinmayr, Andreas & Wett, Valentin, 2025. "Uneven Rules: The Struggle for Refugee Family Reunification," VfS Annual Conference 2025 (Cologne): Revival of Industrial Policy 325439, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    3. Laura Goßner & Yuliya Kosyakova & Marie-Christine Laible, 2022. "Resilient or Vulnerable? Effects of the COVID-19 Crisis on the Mental Health of Refugees in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-20, June.

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