Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
Volume 45, Issue 7, 2017, Pages 1413-1427

The Longitudinal Relation between Daily Hassles and Depressive Symptoms among Unaccompanied Refugees in Norway (Article)

Keles S.* , Idsøe T. , Friborg O. , Sirin S. , Oppedal B.
  • a Department of Child Development and Mental Health, Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404, Nydalen, Oslo, N-0403, Norway, Department of Research, Norwegian Center for Child Behavioral Development, Oslo, Norway
  • b Department of Child Development and Mental Health, Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404, Nydalen, Oslo, N-0403, Norway, Department of Research, Norwegian Center for Child Behavioral Development, Oslo, Norway
  • c Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
  • d Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
  • e Department of Child Development and Mental Health, Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404, Nydalen, Oslo, N-0403, Norway

Abstract

The aim of the present longitudinal study is to understand the longitudinal relation between depressive symptoms and daily hassles (i.e., general and acculturation hassles) in a high-risk population of unaccompanied refugees. We investigated the validity of three stress-mental health models: the stress exposure model, the stress generation model, and the reciprocal model. Data were collected from 918 unaccompanied refugees in Norway in three waves. Of the initial sample, the majority (82.1%) were male (Mage = 19.01 years, SD = 2.54 years). The data were analyzed with auto-regressive cross-lagged modeling and latent growth curve modeling. The results supported the stress exposure model for the relation between depressive symptoms and acculturation hassles, indicating that acculturation hassles predicted the subsequent levels of depressive symptoms rather than vice versa. On the other hand, the reciprocal model was supported for the relation between depressive symptoms and general hassles indicating a bidirectional, mutual relation. Unconditional latent growth models further showed that depression level remained unchanged over time, while levels of acculturation and general hassles decreased. The implications for clinical practice and immigration policy are discussed. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Longitudinal analyses Acculturation stress unaccompanied refugee minors daily hassles Depressive symptoms

Index Keywords

depression Models, Psychological longitudinal study psychological model refugee Norway human Longitudinal Studies Refugees Stress, Psychological mental stress Minors ethnology Young Adult Humans psychology Adolescent male Acculturation female cultural factor minor (person) adult
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85007246790&doi=10.1007%2fs10802-016-0251-8&partnerID=40&md5=d144a65fed106908a849186e81aeaf97
DOI: 10.1007/s10802-016-0251-8
ISSN: 00910627
Cited by: 6
Original Language: English