Refugee family reunification and mental health in resettlement

Abstract

Family reunification is widely recognised as a vital issue for people from refugee backgrounds, but relatively little research has been reported on its relation to mental health or resettlement outcomes. A study was carried out over the course of 2011 involving 46 participants from refugee backgrounds with direct experience of the family reunification process in New Zealand. Participants from multiple ethnic communities in Auckland, Wellington and Hamilton were invited to discuss and share their experiences. Structured individual interviews were carried out with 15 individual participants, as well as 13 focus groups, in addition to detailed reviews of case histories. Research questions focused on the perceived impacts of family reunification on resettlement outcomes, health and wellbeing. Eighty-five percent of participants reported family reunification issues as the paramount obstacle to their successful resettlement. Potential practical applications, limitations and priorities for future studies are discussed.