Pre- and post-migration contexts of refugee children from Central America and Southeast Asia were compared. The results suggest that the culture of origin radically modulates the relationship between the pre-migration experience and the developing post-migration universe. In the case of the Central American children, the state-sponsored violence suffered in the country of origin is strongly associated with subsequent family conflicts, whereas in the case of the Southeast Asians, conflict is associated with an active social network in the community of origin, suggesting that there is a delicate balance between the support provided and the burden imposed by the extended family.

culture Children Refugee Context

refugee conflict mental health human Refugees violence Stress, Psychological mental stress social network social interaction Central America social support school child family Humans family life immigrants' experience male Canada Southeast Asia female Socioeconomic Factors cultural factor Article Anxiety, Separation migration human experiment children cultural influence Asia, Southeastern Culture Child