title: Psychopathology and resident status - comparing asylum seekers, refugees, illegal migrants, labor migrants, and residents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to describe, compare, and predict mental health outcomes of different migrant groups and native residents in Switzerland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Asylum seekers (n=65); refugees holding permanent protection visas (n=34); illegal migrants (n=21); labor migrants (n=26); and residents (n=56) completed an assessment by questionnaire. Main outcome variables were symptoms of posttraumatic stress, anxiety and depression. It was tested whether resident status predicted psychopathology over and above the influence of control variables including social desirability, traumatic event types and post-migration resources.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Asylum seekers (54.0%) and refugees (41.4%) fulfilled criteria of PTSD most frequently. Clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety and depression were most frequently reported by asylum seekers (84.6% and 63.1%, resp.) and illegal migrants (both 47.6%). Resident status contributed to psychopathology over and above the influence of control variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, asylum seekers, refugees, and illegal migrants showed high psychiatric morbidity. Differences in resident status appear to be specifically associated with mental health outcomes. This association persists even when controlling for social desirability, post-migration resources and traumatic events. This emphasizes the importance of current socio-political living conditions for mental health, even with respect to the psychopathological sequelae of past traumatic experiences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Zurich, Culmannstrasse 8, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: martina.heeren@me.com.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heeren
authors.affiliation: International Psychoanalytic University Berlin, Stromstrasse 2a, 10555 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wittmann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Binzmuehlestrasse 14/26, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ehlert
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Zurich, Culmannstrasse 8, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schnyder
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Services of the Canton St. Gallen-North, Wil, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Zurich, Culmannstrasse 8, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019303:Multilingualism; D044382:Population Groups / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011599:Psychopathology; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012928:Social Desirability; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014175:Translating