New research - asylum seekers

03-Jun-2010 by Guy J. Coffey, Ida Kaplan, Robyn C. Sampson and Maria Tucci in Social Science & Medicine Journal.
"The meaning and mental health consequences of long-term immigration detention for people seeking asylum."

This article reports the findings of a Foundation House research project examining the experience of extended periods of immigration detention from the perspective of previously detained asylum seekers and to identify the consequences of these experiences for life after release. All participants were struggling to rebuild their lives in the years following release from immigration detention, and for the majority the difficulties experienced were pervasive. Participants suffered ongoing insecurity and injustice, difficulties with relationships, profound changes to view of self and poor mental health. Depression and demoralisation, concentration and memory disturbances and persistent anxiety were very commonly reported. The results strongly suggest that the psychological and interpersonal difficulties participants were suffering at the time of interview were the legacy of their adverse experiences while detained. 

Click here for the full version of the article. (Please note there is restricted access to this article as per the Science Direct website.)

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