Resettled refugee parent and young adult perspectives on mental health after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract Background Refugees and other New Americans faced unique mental health barriers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reduced access to mental health supports and services in this population indicates a need for new community-based mental health interventions. Aims This paper explored re...
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| Format: | Article |
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Springer
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Discover Mental Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-025-00182-w |
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| author | Rachel Fabi Christina D. Campagna Nidaa Aljabarrin Eloho Olojakpoke Noora Alghazeer Sana Alamarie Warood Alamarie Robert A. Rubinstein Ron Saletsky Andrea V. Shaw |
| author_facet | Rachel Fabi Christina D. Campagna Nidaa Aljabarrin Eloho Olojakpoke Noora Alghazeer Sana Alamarie Warood Alamarie Robert A. Rubinstein Ron Saletsky Andrea V. Shaw |
| author_sort | Rachel Fabi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Refugees and other New Americans faced unique mental health barriers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reduced access to mental health supports and services in this population indicates a need for new community-based mental health interventions. Aims This paper explored refugee parents’ and young adults’ perceptions of the mental health barriers and facilitators encountered by young resettled refugees (ages 10–24) and their parents. Methods Using an interpretive phenomenology approach and a form of community-based participatory research (CBPR), we designed a focus group guide with student community members from various refugee and immigrant communities. We held eight gender- and language-concordant focus groups with refugee parents, and four gender-concordant focus groups with refugee young adults (18–24), facilitated by student community members. Translated transcripts were analyzed for major themes using an iterative emergent thematic coding approach. Results The conversations in these focus groups were wide-ranging. Here we explore the themes and subthemes that emerged in three primary areas: the effects of COVID-19 on mental health, mental health stigma and other social barriers to mental health, and community strengths and strategies for addressing mental health. Conclusions COVID-19 surfaced and intensified existing mental health challenges within resettled refugee communities. Community-based mental health interventions should be designed in partnership with the communities they aim to serve. The findings of this study suggest several possible intervention points to support refugee youth and parent mental health, including culturally sensitive group and individual therapy in a trusted community setting. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-208eec2c3c7646a98b3e46a4d419e82e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2731-4383 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Discover Mental Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-208eec2c3c7646a98b3e46a4d419e82e2025-08-20T02:12:03ZengSpringerDiscover Mental Health2731-43832025-04-015111310.1007/s44192-025-00182-wResettled refugee parent and young adult perspectives on mental health after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemicRachel Fabi0Christina D. Campagna1Nidaa Aljabarrin2Eloho Olojakpoke3Noora Alghazeer4Sana Alamarie5Warood Alamarie6Robert A. Rubinstein7Ron Saletsky8Andrea V. Shaw9Center for Bioethics and Humanities, SUNY Upstate Medical UniversityUpstate Global Health Institute, SUNY Upstate Medical UniversityUpstate Global Health Institute, SUNY Upstate Medical UniversityDepartment of Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical UniversitySyracuse UniversitySUNY Upstate Medical UniversitySUNY Upstate Medical UniversityDepartment of Anthropology, Syracuse UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical UniversityDepartment of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, SUNY Upstate Medical UniversityAbstract Background Refugees and other New Americans faced unique mental health barriers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reduced access to mental health supports and services in this population indicates a need for new community-based mental health interventions. Aims This paper explored refugee parents’ and young adults’ perceptions of the mental health barriers and facilitators encountered by young resettled refugees (ages 10–24) and their parents. Methods Using an interpretive phenomenology approach and a form of community-based participatory research (CBPR), we designed a focus group guide with student community members from various refugee and immigrant communities. We held eight gender- and language-concordant focus groups with refugee parents, and four gender-concordant focus groups with refugee young adults (18–24), facilitated by student community members. Translated transcripts were analyzed for major themes using an iterative emergent thematic coding approach. Results The conversations in these focus groups were wide-ranging. Here we explore the themes and subthemes that emerged in three primary areas: the effects of COVID-19 on mental health, mental health stigma and other social barriers to mental health, and community strengths and strategies for addressing mental health. Conclusions COVID-19 surfaced and intensified existing mental health challenges within resettled refugee communities. Community-based mental health interventions should be designed in partnership with the communities they aim to serve. The findings of this study suggest several possible intervention points to support refugee youth and parent mental health, including culturally sensitive group and individual therapy in a trusted community setting.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-025-00182-wRefugeesYouthMental healthCOVID-19Qualitative |
| spellingShingle | Rachel Fabi Christina D. Campagna Nidaa Aljabarrin Eloho Olojakpoke Noora Alghazeer Sana Alamarie Warood Alamarie Robert A. Rubinstein Ron Saletsky Andrea V. Shaw Resettled refugee parent and young adult perspectives on mental health after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic Discover Mental Health Refugees Youth Mental health COVID-19 Qualitative |
| title | Resettled refugee parent and young adult perspectives on mental health after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Resettled refugee parent and young adult perspectives on mental health after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Resettled refugee parent and young adult perspectives on mental health after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Resettled refugee parent and young adult perspectives on mental health after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Resettled refugee parent and young adult perspectives on mental health after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | resettled refugee parent and young adult perspectives on mental health after the onset of the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | Refugees Youth Mental health COVID-19 Qualitative |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-025-00182-w |
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