Globalization and Health
Volume 13, Issue 1, 2017
Refugees, asylum-seekers and undocumented migrants and the experience of parenthood: A synthesis of the qualitative literature (Review) (Open Access)
Merry L.* ,
Pelaez S. ,
Edwards N.C.
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a
University of Ottawa, School of Nursing, Ottawa, Canada
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b
McGill University, Faculty of Education, Montreal, Canada
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c
University of Ottawa, School of Nursing, Ottawa, Canada
Abstract
Objective: To synthesize the recent qualitative literature and identify the integrative themes describing the parenthood experiences of refugees, asylum-seekers and undocumented migrants. Methods: We searched seven online databases for the period January 2006 to February 2017. We included English and French published peer-reviewed articles and graduate-level dissertations, which qualitatively examined the parenthood experiences of refugees, asylum-seekers and undocumented migrants. We summarized study characteristics and performed a thematic analysis across the studies. Results: One hundred thirty eight studies met inclusion criteria. All but three were conducted in high-income countries, mainly in the US. Migrants studied were mostly undocumented from Latin America and refugees from Sub-Saharan Africa. Almost all studies (93%) included mothers; about half (47%) included fathers; very few (5%) included extended family members. We identified three integrative themes: 1) experiencing hardship and/or loss in the context of precarious migration and past traumas; 2) building resilience and strength by bridging language, norms and expectations; and 3) living transnationally: obligations, challenges and resources. Each theme contributed to shaping the parenthood experience; the transnationalism theme intersected with the themes on hardship and loss and resilience and strength. Conclusion: More research is needed with fathers, extended family members, asylum-seekers and in the LMIC context. A transnational lens needs to be applied to programs, policies and future research for refugee, asylum-seeker and undocumented migrant parents. Addressing transnational concerns (family separation and reunification), acknowledging transnational resources, fostering a transnational family identity and conducting transnational and longitudinal studies are potentially pivotal approaches for this sub-population of parents. © 2017 The Author(s).
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Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85029751150&doi=10.1186%2fs12992-017-0299-4&partnerID=40&md5=0e191de04b61189a54f2455cb78f406a
DOI: 10.1186/s12992-017-0299-4
ISSN: 17448603
Cited by: 9
Original Language: English