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.
  • a University of Ottawa, School of Nursing, Ottawa, Canada
  • b McGill University, Faculty of Education, Montreal, Canada
  • 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).

Author Keywords

Migration parents Parenting Transnationalism Refugees Mothers Asylum-seekers Parenthood Fathers Undocumented

Index Keywords

cultural anthropology South and Central America social norm morality Africa south of the Sahara refugee poverty interpersonal communication human Refugees middle income country priority journal migrants experience language black population asylum seeker United States ego strength Humans undocumented immigrant psychology extended family Review qualitative analysis Parenting identity Latino people experience psychological resilience father mother migration international migration low income country expectation psychotrauma Transients and Migrants Fear parenthood parental care child parent relation Culture quality of life assessment

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