“Thinking Too Much”: Psychological distress, sources of stress and coping strategies of resettled Afghan and Kurdish refugees

Abstract

This article outlines the main findings of an exploratory, mixed methods study examining the health and resettlement experiences of predominantly Muslim Afghan and Kurdish refugees in New Zealand and Australia. As postmigration experiences can impact the psychological wellbeing of already traumatized individuals, this study aimed to identify major sources of stress and describe the coping strategies they use to deal with it. Spending too much time reflecting on past experiences and current international events, separation from family, and feeling overwhelmed by resettlement challenges and concerns were important sources of ongoing stress. High levels of psychological distress and morbidity continued to be observed for some participants, several years after arrival.