But if you tell somebody, the hurt disappears : A qualitative study of how unaccompanied refugee minors cope with their problems during adaptation in Norway
Year: 2007
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This study explored how unaccompanied refugee minors cope with difficulties in the process of adaptation. More specifically, the first aim was to identify whether they face difficulties in their everyday lives in Norway, and to explore the nature of these difficulties. The second aim was to look at the coping strategies they may apply in relation to the problems. A qualitative, descriptive, phenomenological design was applied. Ten Somali boys coming to Norway as unaccompanied minor asylum seekers were interviewed with the Private Theory Interview. They were recruited from six municipalities in the eastern part of Norway and had stayed between two and seven years in Norway at the time of the interview. Results show that this group of unaccompanied refugee minors strives with problems of poor economy, longing for their families in Somalia and discriminating treatment from others. Further findings show that they apply a wide spectre of coping strategies, mostly adaptive coping strategies, and that there are differences in the ways they cope with different problems. Informants seem to choose appropriate coping strategies to fit each specific difficulty they face. Findings indicate the importance of acknowledging unaccompanied refugee minors’ resources, to be attentive to their needs and at the same time be cautious not to make them passive.
Author: Mari Christoffersen
Language: English
Topic: Migration, Health and Trauma
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2401946812