Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
Volume 195, Issue 4, 2007, Pages 288-297

Comparing psychological distress, traumatic stress reactions, and experiences of unaccompanied refugee minors with experiences of adolescents accompanied by parents (Article)

Bean T.* , Derluyn I. , Eurelings-Bontekoe E. , Broekaert E. , Spinhoven P.
  • a Centrum '45, Oegstgeest, Netherlands, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, 3811 O'Hara St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2593, United States
  • b Department of Orthopedagogics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
  • c Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
  • d Department of Orthopedagogics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
  • e Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands, Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands

Abstract

The objective of this study is to make comparisons of the severity of the psychological distress, behavioral problems and traumatic stress reactions, and experiences of unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) with immigrant/refugee (I/R) and Dutch (native) adolescents with parental caregivers (N = 3273). Self-report questionnaires were administered. Most assessments took place at school. URMs consistently reported significantly higher scores for internalizing problems, traumatic stress reactions, and stressful life events than all other groups. Gender appears to play an important role in the native and I/R samples in reporting psychological distress, behavioral problems, and traumatic stress reactions. Older age was significantly related to higher scores only in the URM group. Natives scored higher on externalizing problems than the other groups. URMs reported to have experienced twice as many stressful life events than I/Rs and natives. URMs appear to be at significantly higher risk for the development of psychopathology than refugee adolescents living with a family member, immigrants, or Dutch adolescents. © 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

Author Keywords

Adolescents Emotional and behavioral problems Epidemiology trauma

Index Keywords

Netherlands immigrant refugee human sex difference Life Change Events Refugees Self Report Stress, Psychological controlled study comparative study Minors Child Behavior Disorders Stress Disorders, Traumatic social support Cross-Sectional Studies Humans Adolescent Severity of Illness Index male female Personality Inventory Parent-Child Relations Belgium Parenting scoring system Article behavior disorder Questionnaires major clinical study adult posttraumatic stress disorder Age Factors distress syndrome Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic age distribution Emigration and Immigration disease severity caregiver parent
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-34247219119&doi=10.1097%2f01.nmd.0000243751.49499.93&partnerID=40&md5=99d1a12c4ef17acf7013baec347d1951
DOI: 10.1097/01.nmd.0000243751.49499.93
ISSN: 00223018
Cited by: 148
Original Language: English