Persecution as stigma-driven trauma: Social determinants, stigma, and violence in asylum seekers in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: Existing literature documents high rates of experienced violence in asylum seekers. Despite this high prevalence, experiences of traumatic stress are neither necessary nor sufficient grounds for claiming asylum, without documented experiences of persecution. The aim of the current study is to better understand the role of co-occurring pre-migratory social determinants, stigma, and trauma on the experiences of persecution among asylum seekers in the United States. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective file review of legal declarations submitted by 25 asylum seekers who participated in forensic mental health evaluations at a pro-bono asylum clinic. We coded de-identified data for co-occurring events of trauma, social determinants of health, and components of "discrimination" from the legal definition of persecution - conceptualizing persecution as stigma-driven infliction of violence. Data was analyzed using a tiered deductive and inductive reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Findings suggest pre-migratory social determinants included demographics, neighborhood, economic, environmental, and social and cultural level disparities across various grounds for seeking asylum, and experiences of stigma were associated with the specific acts of violence and harm. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings - specific to asylum seekers who have obtained legal representation and completed applications for asylum in the United States - describe the co-occurrence of social determinants, stigma and traumatic experiences among asylum seekers. To our knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to bridge the existing legal framework of asylum to a psychological construct incorporating trauma, stigma, and social determinants of health, lending support for the conceptualization of persecution as stigma-driven trauma.

Building a home in Chicago: Integration and mental health in a newcomer Rohingya refugee community.

OBJECTIVE: Since 2010, approximately 1,000-1,500 Rohingya refugees have resettled in Chicago, Illinois, but there is limited literature on their postresettlement experiences. This study explored the relationship between integration (economic, linguistic, navigational, psychological, and social) and psychological distress among the Rohingya community in Chicago, and how it relates to age and gender. METHOD: This study was conducted in collaboration with the Rohingya Cultural Center in 2019. The survey was verbally administered to Rohingya community members (N = 308; Mage = 37.03; 52% men). A χ² test of independence was used to assess gender differences in employment status. A Generalized Wilcoxon Test was conducted to compare differences in integration and psychological distress among men and women. Multiple γ generalized regression analysis was used to examine psychological distress as the outcome, predicted by integration, age, and gender. RESULTS: Findings showed that men had higher levels of involvement in the labor force than women, as well as higher levels of linguistic integration. Analyses also revealed that women and older participants were more likely to experience psychological distress. Additionally, higher psychological and navigational integration were associated with lower psychological distress. In contrast, lower social integration was significantly associated with lower psychological distress. CONCLUSION: This study points to the importance of a more nuanced approach to integration, given within-group variability along integration dimensions. Community-level interventions should consider the diverse needs of refugees, particularly those of women and older adults. More research is needed to understand these experiences longitudinally and qualitatively. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

A study of attitudes and experiences relating to alcohol use in a community of family farmers from Southern India.

Problematic drinking is found to be common among Indian farmers. This study aims to improve our understanding of the causes, consequences, and culture surrounding drinking in Indian farming communities. 36 semi-structured interviews with male and female farmers were thematically analyzed. Problematic drinking in male farmers was found to significantly impact farmer's relationships, work, finances, and health, and to be related to spousal abuse and neglect. Drinking to cope with mental and physical pain was common, and stigma around drinking appears to be a barrier to social support. Implications for future research and treatment efforts for Indian farmers are discussed.