Work

Narrative analysis of interviews conducted with African unaccompanied refugee minors

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) are a particularly vulnerable subgroup of refugees, frequently exhibiting high levels of distress and a wide range of trauma-related symptoms. They are at risk of poor mental health outcomes such as developing complex posttraumatic stress disorder, an emergent mental disorder associated with re-experiencing, hyperarousal, and avoidance of trauma-related stimuli. Methods: We conducted a qualitative analysis of interviews with 28 unaccompanied refugee minors from African countries residing in Austria. Results: Three main strands of narrative focus were identified: war-related experiences, present experiences in the new home country, and different coping strategies. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that URM narratives are highly complex and that URM require supportive networks and psychotherapeutic care.

Source: Journal of Global Health

DOI: 10.7189/jogh.15.04174