Scandinavian Journal of Psychology
Volume 57, Issue 6, 2016, Pages 564-570

Unemployment in Iraqi refugees: The interaction of pre and post-displacement trauma (Article)

Wright A.M.* , Dhalimi A. , Lumley M.A. , Jamil H. , Pole N. , Arnetz J.E. , Arnetz B.B.
  • a Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States, Office of the for Research, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, United States
  • b Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States, Psychology Department, University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI, United States, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
  • c Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
  • d Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States, Department of Family Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
  • e Department of Psychology, Smith College, Northampton, MT, United States
  • f Department of Family Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
  • g Department of Family Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

Abstract

Previous refugee research has been unable to link pre-displacement trauma with unemployment in the host country. The current study assessed the role of pre-displacement trauma, post-displacement trauma, and the interaction of both trauma types to prospectively examine unemployment in a random sample of newly-arrived Iraqi refugees. Participants (N = 286) were interviewed three times over the first two years post-arrival. Refugees were assessed for pre-displacement trauma exposure, post-displacement trauma exposure, a history of unemployment in the country of origin and host country, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Analyses found that neither pre-displacement nor post-displacement trauma independently predicted unemployment 2 years post-arrival; however, the interaction of pre and post-displacement trauma predicted 2-year unemployment. Refugees with high levels of both pre and post-displacement trauma had a 91% predicted probability of unemployment, whereas those with low levels of both traumas had a 20% predicted probability. This interaction remained significant after controlling for sociodemographic variables and mental health upon arrival to the US. Resettlement agencies and community organizations should consider the interactive effect of encountering additional trauma after escaping the hardships of the refugee's country of origin. © 2016 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Author Keywords

post-displacement trauma pre-displacement trauma unemployment Mental health Refugee trauma

Index Keywords

male Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic unemployment Iraq depression Young Adult female Humans refugee mental health human adult Refugees psychology posttraumatic stress disorder
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84993953168&doi=10.1111%2fsjop.12320&partnerID=40&md5=a177f57ab28d473e1c6632bfcc79cc48
DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12320
ISSN: 00365564
Cited by: 6
Original Language: English