Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health
Volume 3, 2009

Better mental health in children of Vietnamese refugees compared with their Norwegian peers - A matter of cultural difference? (Article) (Open Access)

Vaage A.B.* , Tingvold L. , Hauff E. , Van Ta T. , Wentzel-Larsen T. , Clench-Aas J. , Thomsen P.H.
  • a Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
  • b Institute of Psychiatry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
  • c Institute of Psychiatry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway, Oslo University Hospital, Ullevål Department of Psychiatry, Oslo, Norway
  • d International House Foundation, Stavanger, Norway
  • e Centre for Clinical Research, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
  • f Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Mental Health, Oslo, Norway
  • g Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark

Abstract

Background: There are conflicting results on whether immigrant children are at a heightened risk of mental health problems compared with native youth in the resettlement country. The objective of the study: To compare the mental health of 94 Norwegian-born children from a community cohort of Vietnamese refugees, aged 4 - 18 years, with that of a Norwegian community sample. Methods: The SDQ was completed by two types of informants; the children's self-reports, and the parents' reports, for comparison with Norwegian data from the Health Profiles for Children and Youth in the Akershus study. Results: The self-perceived mental health of second-generation Vietnamese in Norway was better than that of their Norwegian compatriots, as assessed by the SDQ. In the Norwegian-Vietnamese group, both children and parents reported a higher level of functioning. Conclusion: This surprising finding may result from the lower prevalence of mental distress in Norwegian-Vietnamese children compared with their Norwegian peers, or from biased reports and cultural differences in reporting emotional and behavioural problems. These findings may represent the positive results of the children's bi-cultural competencies. © 2009 Vaage et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

refugee lowest income group Norway demography health survey mental health human Self Report controlled study mental stress priority journal academic achievement social status Adolescent male female Viet Nam cultural factor peer group prevalence Article emotion behavior disorder adult Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-70450255131&doi=10.1186%2f1753-2000-3-34&partnerID=40&md5=2d2e41397a2fcdbc5fdbb5d322711e16
DOI: 10.1186/1753-2000-3-34
ISSN: 17532000
Cited by: 21
Original Language: English