Trauma, post-migration living difficulties, and social support as predictors of psychological adjustment in resettled Sudanese refugees.
OBJECTIVE
This paper explores the impact of pre-migration trauma, post-migration living difficulties and social support on the current mental health of 63 resettled Sudanese refugees.


METHODS
A semistructured interview including questionnaires assessing sociodemographic information, pre-migration trauma, anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress, post-migration living difficulties and perceived social support were administered assisted by a bilingual community worker.


RESULTS
Resettled refugees from Sudan evidenced a history of trauma. Less than 5% met criteria for posttraumatic stress but 25% reported clinically high levels of psychological distress. The results indicate that social support--particularly perceived social support from the migrant's ethnic community--play a significant role in predicting mental health outcomes. Pre-migration trauma, family status and gender were also associated with mental health outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
Refugees in Australia may constitute a particularly vulnerable group in terms of mental health outcomes. Culturally specific sequelae in terms of social isolation and acculturation may be particularly problematic for these migrants.
Schweitzer
Robert
R
School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. r.schweitzer@qut.edu.au
Melville
Fritha
F
Steel
Zachary
Z
Lacherez
Philippe
P
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000275:Adjustment Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003469:Culture; D003710:Demography; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012934:Social Isolation; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013397:Sudan / Q000208:ethnology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires