Capital social, santé mentale et immigration

Abstract

The concept of social capital is useful to study the impact of the interpersonal relationships/networks on the development, outcome, prevention and recovery of mental disorders. Among migrant populations, it seems to play a protective role in mental health, associated to better social support, resilience and less exposure to discrimination. In this paper, we will present the current data on this subject. Then we will discuss the use of this concept in the study of environmental risk factors of mental disorders and the need to construct contextual indicators, especially in minority groups.