The Psychosocial Wellness of Refugees

In recent years, scholars in the fields of refugee studies and forced migration have extended their areas of interest and research into the phenomenon of displacement, human response to it, and ways to intervene to assist those affected, increasingly focusing on the emotional and social impact of displacement on refugees and their adjustment to the traumatic experiences. In the process, the positive concept of "psychosocial wellness" was developed as discussed in this volume. In it noted scholars address the strengths and limitations of their investigations, citing examples from their work with refugees from Afghanistan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Palestine, Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, Eastern Europe, Bosnia, and Chile. The authors discuss how they define "psychosocial wellness," as well as the issues of sample selection, measurement, reliability and validity, refugee narratives and "voices," and the ability to generalize findings and apply these to other populations. The key question that has guided many of these investigations and underlies the premise of this book is "what happens to an ordinary person who has experienced an extraordinary event?" This volume also highlights the fact that those involved in such research must also deal with their own emotional responses as they hear victims tell of killing, torture, humiliation, and dispossesion. The volume will therefore appeal to practitioners of psychology, psychiatry, social work, nursing, and anthropology. However, its breadth and the evaluation of the strengths and disadvantages of both qualitative and quantitative methods also make it an excellent text for students.

In recent years, scholars in the fields of refugee studies and forced migration have extended their areas of interest and research into the phenomenon of displacement, human response to it, and ways to intervene to assist those affected, increasingly focusing on the emotional and social impact of displacement on refugees and their adjustment to the traumatic experiences. In the process, the positive concept of "psychosocial wellness" was developed as discussed in this volume. In it noted scholars address the strengths and limitations of their investigations, citing examples from their work with refugees from Afghanistan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Palestine, Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, Eastern Europe, Bosnia, and Chile. The authors discuss how they define "psychosocial wellness," as well as the issues of sample selection, measurement, reliability and validity, refugee narratives and "voices," and the ability to generalize findings and apply these to other populations. The key question that has guided many of these investigations and underlies the premise of this book is "what happens to an ordinary person who has experienced an extraordinary event?" This volume also highlights the fact that those involved in such research must also deal with their own emotional responses as they hear victims tell of killing, torture, humiliation, and dispossesion. The volume will therefore appeal to practitioners of psychology, psychiatry, social work, nursing, and anthropology. However, its breadth and the evaluation of the strengths and disadvantages of both qualitative and quantitative methods also make it an excellent text for students.

List of Tables and Figures
Acknowledgements
Foreword

Introduction

PART I: THEORETICAL ISSUES IN QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

Chapter 1. Psychosocial Wellness: Methodological Approaches To The Study Of Refugees
Frederick L. Ahearn, Jr.

Chapter 2. Psychosocial Programs: Principles And Practice For Research And Evaluation
Alastair Ager

PART II: CASE STUDIES FOR REFUGEE PSYCHOSOCIAL WELLNESS: QUALITATIVE APPROACHES

Chapter 3. Qualitative Measures and Refugee Research: The Case Of Afghan Refugees
Patricia A. Omidian

Chapter 4. Refugees and Health Ethnographic Approaches
Marita Eastmond

Chapter 5. The Autobiographical Method of Investigating the Psychosocial Wellness of Refugees
Didier Bertrand

PART III: CASE STUDIES OF REFUGEE PSYCHOSOCIAL WELLNESS: QUANTITATIVE APPROACHES

Chapter 6. Measuring Suffering: Conflicts And Solutions In Refugee Studies
Raija-Leena Punamäki

Chapter 7. Use of Census Data for Research on Refugee Resettlement in the United States: Methodological Strengths And Limitations
Miriam Potocky-Tripodi

Chapter 8. Returnees to Vietnam: The Well-Being Of Former Unaccompanied Minors
Maryanne Loughry and Nguyen Xuan Nghia

PART IV: CASE STUDIES OF REFUGEE PSYCHOSOCIAL WELLNESS: MIXED APPROACHES

Chapter 9. Implications For The Development Of Culturally Appropriate Measures
Ilene Hyman, Morton Beiser, Sam Noh, and Nhi Vu

Chapter 10. A Child-Centered Approach to Investigating Refugee Children's Concerns
Colin MacMullin and Maryanne Loughry

Chapter 11. Qualitative and Quantitative Research among Refugees: An Analysis
Joseph Westermeyer

Conclusion: Conclusions and Implications for Future Research
Frederick L. Ahearn, Jr.

Notes on Contributors
Index