Using mixed methods to build knowledge of refugee mental health

Abstract

Mixed methods research, which combines elements of qualitative and quantitative research approaches, should be well suited to studying refugee mental health.However, thishas not yet been adequatelydiscussed nordemonstratedwithin the existingscienti¢c literature.This paper aims to begin to ¢ll this gap and describes how mixed methods have been used in refugee mental health research. Twenty-nine articles from the health and social sciences literature were systematically reviewed with a focus on study designs and key ¢ndings.The studies reviewed were mostly conducted in high income countries inEurope, Australia, and North America.The mixed methods studies largely involved surveys and interviews, and the designs were mostly sequential and explanatory. The key mixed methods ¢ndings were in the domains of loss of connection, loss of status, lack of adequate services and resilience. Onemixedmethods research example, which studied protective resources among adolescent refugees in US resettlement, is oiered to illustrate some advantages of mixed methods data collection and analysis.There is, however, a need for further research on refugee mental health which takes advantage of the full spectrum of mixed methods designs to address priority needs and questions, especially involving resilience and resilience focused interventions.