Mental Health Effects of Stress over the Life Span of Refugees
Author(s):
Hollifield, Michael; Warner, Teddy D.; Krakow, Barry; Westermeyer, Joseph
Format:
Journal article
Citation:
Journal Of Clinical Medicine, Volume 7, Issue 2 (2018-02). pp. 25.
Language:
English
Abstract:
Information about the relative impact of stressful events across the lifespan on the mental health of refugees is needed. Cross-sectional data from a community sample of 135 Kurdish and 117 Vietnamese refugees were fit to a path model about the effects of non-war stress, war-related stress, and post-migration stress on mental health. Kurdish and Vietnamese data were generally consistent with the model. However, war-related stress produced no direct but a large indirect effect through post-migration stress on mental health in Kurds. Vietnamese data indicated a modest direct war-related stress effect but no indirect influence through post-migration stress. Different types of stressful events lead to adverse mental health of displaced refugees in a somewhat group-dependent manner. Implications for prevention and treatment are discussed.