Skip Navigation


Journal of Refugee Studies Advance Access originally published online on February 11, 2008
Journal of Refugee Studies 2008 21(1):1-18; doi:10.1093/jrs/fem047
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
21/1/1    most recent
fem047v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Ryan, D.
Right arrow Articles by Benson, C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author [2008]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Theoretical Perspectives on Post-Migration Adaptation and Psychological Well-Being among Refugees: Towards a Resource-Based Model

Dermot Ryan, Barbara Dooley and Ciarán Benson

School of Psychology, Newman Building, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland dermot.ryan{at}ucd.ie

Research on the psychological well-being of refugees has focused on deficiencies within individuals either in terms of psychiatric symptoms or feelings of distress. To achieve a more holistic view of the life experiences of refugees, we need to look at the limitations of our current theoretical models. This article critically examines some of the major theoretical approaches that have guided research on the psychological well-being of refugees: the medical model, the psychosocial stress model and Berry's (1997) ‘acculturation framework’. It goes on to examine Hobfoll's (2001) Conservation of Resources stress theory, a model which has important implications for refugee research. Drawing upon the models reviewed, the last section outlines a conceptual framework for adaptation among refugees. At the heart of it lies the concept of resources. However, resources must be understood in terms of the individual's needs, personal goals and the demands he or she encounters. Each of these concepts must be examined in the context of the pre-migration, flight and post-migration phases. The additional concept of constraints on the use of or access to resources is particularly relevant to the post-migration phase. Such a conceptual toolkit could prove especially useful in going beyond quantitative data to present the human stories of refugees. It could also sensitize researchers to the impact of host societies on the well-being of refugees.

Key Words: refugees • psychological well-being • post-migration adaptation • stress theory • resources

MS received July 1, 2006 ; revised MS received March 1, 2007
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.