Abstract
Children with refugee backgrounds are often exposed to violence and other adverse experiences with well-known detrimental consequences on mental health. However, the current group of approximately 40million child refugees is heterogeneous, stressing the importance of first-person perspectives in understanding children's unique experiences and needs related to the migration process. Identifying contextual factors promoting health and resilience is also essential. For instance, the roles children play as active agents in constructing their own lives and adapting to different environments are poorly described in contemporary research on child refugees and their mental health. To address these knowledge gaps, we conducted qualitative interviews with a reflexive thematic analysis with eighteen children with refugee backgrounds in Sweden. This resulted in two main themes: Longing for a good life that cannot be taken for granted and Challenged agency and changing rights. The narratives indicate that children, although exposed to different challenges in different migration phases and based on gender and asylum status, have experiences of ordinary childhood with a desire for a good life with prospects. The results also show that children execute active and adaptable agency that is impacted by various factors. Reaching the full age appears to be a confusing and ambivalent transition due to changes in rights. The results pinpoint several possibilities to address factors that pose a risk to health and restrictions of rights among child refugees.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.