Abstract
BackgroundFamilies resettling to the U.S. from conflict-affected countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) face countless challenges. These families must cope with experiences of armed conflict and forced migration while also assimilating to a new society. According to the ‘immigrant paradox,’ time spent in a new country can compound the effects of migration and assimilation challenges and lead to deteriorated mental health. This study aims to assess the psychosocial wellbeing of MENA-born or first-generation adolescents attending school in the Detroit metropolitan area (DMA) to understand how schools, families, and communities play a role in supporting these adolescents’ wellbeing.MethodsThe quantitative component of this mixed methods study will involve a self-administered survey with a sample of students whose responses will be linked to academic records and behavioral assessments. The survey will utilize validated instruments to measure depressive and anxiety symptoms (Hopkins Symptom Checklist-37A), hope (Children’s Hope Scale), resilience (Child and Youth Resilience Measure-12), externalizing and prosocial behavior (Hopkins Symptom Checklist-37A, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), school belonging (Psychological Sense of School Membership), and peer relationships (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support). Differences in outcomes will be analyzed across two strata: students born in the MENA region and first-generation students whose parents immigrated to the US from the MENA region. The qualitative component will involve semi-structured key informant interviews with parents, school administrators, educators, and mental health providers, and focus group discussions (FGDs) with a purposive sample of adolescents born – or whose parents were born - in the MENA region. The FGDs will include a participatory ranking activity where participants will be asked to free-list and rank ideas about how schools can better support students like them. Thematic content analysis will be conducted to identify common themes.DiscussionThis study will contribute evidence about the wellbeing of adolescents who come from – or whose parents come from - conflict-affected countries currently living in the U.S. Findings can be used to inform program and policy development to enable schools and their community partners to serve this population more effectively.
Highlights
Families resettling to the U.S from conflict-affected countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) face countless challenges
Experiences during adolescence can have a profound effect on health and wellbeing that last through adulthood [1]. While this developmental period can be challenging for any individual, adolescents who have been – or whose parents have been - resettled from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region face a number of unique challenges that may increase their risk of adverse mental and psychosocial health outcomes
While the challenges associated with migrating to a new country may influence the degree to which newcomer students are able to adapt to their new country, it is important to understand how this adaptation process might differ for students whose families resettle within more insulated Arab enclaves
Summary
Families resettling to the U.S from conflict-affected countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) face countless challenges. Experiences during adolescence can have a profound effect on health and wellbeing that last through adulthood [1] While this developmental period can be challenging for any individual, adolescents who have been – or whose parents have been - resettled from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region face a number of unique challenges that may increase their risk of adverse mental and psychosocial health outcomes. Following escape from political conflict and violence at home, forced migrants often endure a multitude of hardships throughout their flight, from a lack of basic resources, to detention, humiliation, and physical and sexual abuse [2] Those who resettle in the United States may struggle to process their loss of home and experiences of migration, but must adapt to a new language and culture, and learn to navigate complicated legal and public service systems [3]. Adolescents coming from conflict-affected settings often spend months or years out-of-school prior to resettlement and may struggle to catch up with their peers academically, all the while at risk of facing routine discrimination, micro-aggressions, and bullying in their new communities [4, 5]
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