Syrian Refugee Youth Resettled in Norway: Mechanisms of Resilience Influencing Health-Related Quality of Life and Mental Distress
Background: The importance of resilience factors in the positive adaptation of refugee youth is widely recognised. However, their actual mechanism of impact remains under-researched. The aim of this study was therefore to explore protective and promotive resilience mechanisms to inform future interv...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.711451/full |
| _version_ | 1819099659793072128 |
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| author | Cecilie Dangmann Øivind Solberg Anne Kjersti Myhrene Steffenak Sevald Høye Per Normann Andersen |
| author_facet | Cecilie Dangmann Øivind Solberg Anne Kjersti Myhrene Steffenak Sevald Høye Per Normann Andersen |
| author_sort | Cecilie Dangmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The importance of resilience factors in the positive adaptation of refugee youth is widely recognised. However, their actual mechanism of impact remains under-researched. The aim of this study was therefore to explore protective and promotive resilience mechanisms to inform future interventions and policy. Promotive resilience is seen as a direct main effect and protective resilience as a moderating effect.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of Syrian youth recently resettled in Norway, aged 13–24 years. Regression and moderation analyses were used to explore different interactions, including moderated mediation using the PROCESS macro for SPSS.Result: A direct main effect of promotive resilience was found for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and general mental distress, but not for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). No moderating effects of protective resilience were found. Post-migration stressors mediated the effects of potentially traumatic events (PTE) from war and flight, and this indirect effect was present at all levels of resilience.Conclusion: Despite high risk exposure and mental distress, resilience was also high. Broad resilience interventions targeting multiple factors would likely benefit the group, but these should include both individual assets and building supportive environments. Additionally, reducing current stress and providing treatment for those in need could enable recovery and increase the efficacy of resilience factors already present. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T00:50:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-da0a90e43c9944fc858bfbf71d38a6a1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T00:50:24Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-da0a90e43c9944fc858bfbf71d38a6a12022-12-21T18:44:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652021-09-01910.3389/fpubh.2021.711451711451Syrian Refugee Youth Resettled in Norway: Mechanisms of Resilience Influencing Health-Related Quality of Life and Mental DistressCecilie Dangmann0Øivind Solberg1Anne Kjersti Myhrene Steffenak2Sevald Høye3Per Normann Andersen4Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, NorwayDepartment of Health Science, Swedish Red Cross University College, Stockholm, SwedenFaculty of Health and Social Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, NorwayFaculty of Health and Social Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, NorwayDepartment of Psychology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Lillehammer, NorwayBackground: The importance of resilience factors in the positive adaptation of refugee youth is widely recognised. However, their actual mechanism of impact remains under-researched. The aim of this study was therefore to explore protective and promotive resilience mechanisms to inform future interventions and policy. Promotive resilience is seen as a direct main effect and protective resilience as a moderating effect.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of Syrian youth recently resettled in Norway, aged 13–24 years. Regression and moderation analyses were used to explore different interactions, including moderated mediation using the PROCESS macro for SPSS.Result: A direct main effect of promotive resilience was found for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and general mental distress, but not for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). No moderating effects of protective resilience were found. Post-migration stressors mediated the effects of potentially traumatic events (PTE) from war and flight, and this indirect effect was present at all levels of resilience.Conclusion: Despite high risk exposure and mental distress, resilience was also high. Broad resilience interventions targeting multiple factors would likely benefit the group, but these should include both individual assets and building supportive environments. Additionally, reducing current stress and providing treatment for those in need could enable recovery and increase the efficacy of resilience factors already present.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.711451/fullhealth-related quality of lifemental distresspost-migration stressorspost-traumatic stress disorderrefugeeresilience |
| spellingShingle | Cecilie Dangmann Øivind Solberg Anne Kjersti Myhrene Steffenak Sevald Høye Per Normann Andersen Syrian Refugee Youth Resettled in Norway: Mechanisms of Resilience Influencing Health-Related Quality of Life and Mental Distress Frontiers in Public Health health-related quality of life mental distress post-migration stressors post-traumatic stress disorder refugee resilience |
| title | Syrian Refugee Youth Resettled in Norway: Mechanisms of Resilience Influencing Health-Related Quality of Life and Mental Distress |
| title_full | Syrian Refugee Youth Resettled in Norway: Mechanisms of Resilience Influencing Health-Related Quality of Life and Mental Distress |
| title_fullStr | Syrian Refugee Youth Resettled in Norway: Mechanisms of Resilience Influencing Health-Related Quality of Life and Mental Distress |
| title_full_unstemmed | Syrian Refugee Youth Resettled in Norway: Mechanisms of Resilience Influencing Health-Related Quality of Life and Mental Distress |
| title_short | Syrian Refugee Youth Resettled in Norway: Mechanisms of Resilience Influencing Health-Related Quality of Life and Mental Distress |
| title_sort | syrian refugee youth resettled in norway mechanisms of resilience influencing health related quality of life and mental distress |
| topic | health-related quality of life mental distress post-migration stressors post-traumatic stress disorder refugee resilience |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.711451/full |
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