Emotional and behavioural problems amongst Afghan unaccompanied asylum-seeking children: results from a large-scale cross-sectional study
Abstract
Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) are considered at high risk for mental health problems, yet few studies focus on single ethnic populations. This study presents results from the largest Afghan UASC mental health survey in the U.K. Specifically, the study aims to estimate the prevalence of emotional and behavioural problems and to investigate the associations of these problems with demographic variables, cumulative traumatic events, and care and migration variables. A census sample of 222 Afghan UASC was interviewed using validated self-report screening measures. Emotional and behavioural problems were screened using the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist 37A (HSCL-37A). Pre-migration stressful life events were screened using the Stressful Life Events Questionnaire. Administrative data on care and asylum were provided by the local authority social services and the UK Border Agency. Approximately one-third (31.4%) scored above cut-offs for emotional and behavioural problems, 34.6% for anxiety and 23.4% for depression. Ordinary least squares regression indicated a significant dose-response relationship between total pre-migration traumatic events and distress as well as between increased time in the country and greater behavioural problems. Compound traumatic events in the pre-migration stages of forced migration have a deleterious association with UASC well-being. Increased time in country suggests a possible peer effect for these children. Consistent with other studies on refugee children, it should be stressed that the majority of UASC scored below suggested cut-offs, thus displaying a marked resilience despite the experience of adverse events.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
More than 80% of unaccompanied minors are frequently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, followed by depression and anxiety disorders.
“more than 80% of UM, are frequently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), followed by depression and anxiety disorders [7, 8]”
From Examining cognitive behavioral therapy interventions for unaccompanied minors: a systematic review and qualitative research synthesis. (2025) · cites this paper as [8]
Cites
The Ecology of Human Development: Experiments by Nature and Design
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979) · Harvard University Press eBooks · doi:10.4159/9780674028845 · Cited by 26,084 · see citing works
von Elm, E., Altman, D. G., Egger, M., Pocock, S. J., Gøtzsche, P. C., Vandenbroucke, J. P., & Initiative, F. T. S. (2007) · PLoS Medicine · doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0040296 · Cited by 23,020 · see citing works
The ecology of human development : experiments by nature and design
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979) · Cited by 12,580 · see citing works
Hobfoll, S. E. (2001) · Applied Psychology · doi:10.1111/1464-0597.00062 · Cited by 7,139 · see citing works
The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure
Gilsenan, M., & Turner, V. W. (1976) · RAIN · doi:10.2307/3031914 · Cited by 6,743 · see citing works
The Ritual Process. Structure and Anti-Structure
Welbourn, F. B., & Turner, V. W. (1971) · Journal of Religion in Africa · doi:10.2307/1594703 · Cited by 3,462 · see citing works
Methods of coping with social desirability bias: A review
Nederhof, A. J. (1985) · European Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/ejsp.2420150303 · Cited by 2,340 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Social desirability bias reflects an over- or underreporting on a questionnaire based upon a desire to maximise gains [62].”
BackgroundWhen interventions harm: Peer groups and problem behavior.
Dishion, T. J., McCord, J., & Poulin, F. (1999) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.54.9.755 · Cited by 2,023 · see citing works
Porter, M., & Haslam, N. (2005) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.294.5.602 · Cited by 1,793 · see citing works
Miller, K. E., & Rasmussen, A. (2010) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.09.029 · Cited by 1,524 · see citing works
When more is not better: the role of cumulative risk in child behavior outcomes
Carmody, K. A., Egeland, B. R., van Dulmen, M. H. M., & Sroufe, L. A. (2004) · Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00351.x · Cited by 1,144 · see citing works
Resilience concepts and findings: implications for family therapy
Rutter, M. L. (1999) · Journal of Family Therapy · doi:10.1111/1467-6427.00108 · Cited by 999 · see citing works
Stress, Coping, and Development in Children
Garmezy, N. (1988) · Johns Hopkins University Press eBooks · doi:10.56021/9780801836510 · Cited by 935 · see citing works
Review of Child and Adolescent Refugee Mental Health
Lustig, S. L., Kia‐Keating, M., Grant-Knight, W., Geltman, P. L., Ellis, H., Kinzie, J. D., Keane, T. M., & Saxe, G. (2004) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/00004583-200401000-00012 · Cited by 790 · see citing works
Psychological distress in refugee children: a systematic review
Bronstein, I., & Montgomery, P. (2011) · Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review · doi:10.1007/s10567-010-0081-0 · Cited by 634 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Indeed, the literature concerning UASC indicates high levels of psychological distress in the form of emotional and behavioural problems and PTSD [8].”
BackgroundSelf-citationMental Health of Immigrants and Refugees
Pumariega, A. J., Rothe, E., & Pumariega, J. B. (2005) · Community Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1007/s10597-005-6363-1 · Cited by 584 · see citing works
Impact of immigration detention and temporary protection on the mental health of refugees
Steel, Z., Silove, D., Brooks, R., Momartin, S., Alzuhairi, B., & Susljik, I. (2006) · British Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.104.007864 · Cited by 473 · see citing works
The mental health of refugee children
Fazel, M. S. (2002) · Archives of Disease in Childhood · doi:10.1136/adc.87.5.366 · Cited by 469 · see citing works
Garmezy, N. (1983) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 441 · see citing works
Bean, T., Derluyn, I., Eurelings-Bontekoe, E. H. M., Broekaert, E., & Spinhoven, P. (2007) · The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease · doi:10.1097/01.nmd.0000243751.49499.93 · Cited by 401 · see citing works
Risk and resilience for psychological distress amongst unaccompanied asylum seeking adolescents
Hodes, M., Jagdev, D., Chandra, N., & Cunniff, A. L. (2008) · Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2008.01912.x · Cited by 370 · see citing works
Cures That Harm: Unanticipated Outcomes of Crime Prevention Programs
McCord, J. (2003) · The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science · doi:10.1177/0002716202250781 · Cited by 338 · see citing works
Sandanger, I., Moum, T., Ingebrigtsen, G., Dalgard, O. S., Sørensen, T., & Bruusgaard, D. (1998) · Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology · doi:10.1007/s001270050064 · Cited by 327 · see citing works
Mental health, race, and culture
Fernando, S. J. M. (2010) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.48-2116 · Cited by 320 · see citing works
PTSD and depression in refugee children
Heptinstall, E., Sethna, V., & Taylor, E. A. (2004) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-004-0422-y · Cited by 302 · see citing works
Violence, suffering, and mental health in Afghanistan: a school-based survey
Panter‐Brick, C., Eggerman, M., Gonzalez, V., & Safdar, S. (2009) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(09)61080-1 · Cited by 263 · see citing works
Birman, D., Trickett, E. J., & Vinokurov, A. (2002) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1023/a:1016323213871 · Cited by 252 · see citing works
Mental health issues in unaccompanied refugee minors
Huemer, J., Karnik, N. S., Völkl-Kernstock, S., Granditsch, E., Dervic, K., Friedrich, M. H., & Steiner, H. (2009) · Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health · doi:10.1186/1753-2000-3-13 · Cited by 252 · see citing works
Bean, T., Eurelings-Bontekoe, E. H. M., & Spinhoven, P. (2007) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2006.11.010 · Cited by 226 · see citing works
(2004) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781410610263 · Cited by 196 · see citing works
Catani, C., Schauer, E., Elbert, T. R., Missmahl, I., Bette, J., & Neuner, F. (2009) · Journal of Traumatic Stress · doi:10.1002/jts.20415 · Cited by 167 · see citing works
Cohen, J., Berliner, L., & Mannarino, A. (1996) · Trauma Violence & Abuse · doi:10.1177/1524838000001001003 · Cited by 165 · see citing works
Collishaw, S., Goodman, R., Ford, T. J., Rabe‐Hesketh, S., & Pickles, A. R. (2008) · Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2008.02026.x · Cited by 158 · see citing works
Feir‐Walsh, B. J., & Toothaker, L. E. (1974) · Educational and Psychological Measurement · doi:10.1177/001316447403400406 · Cited by 145 · see citing works
Descent into Chaos: The U.S. and the Disaster in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia
Rashid, A. (2008) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 140 · see citing works
Psychologically Distressed Refugee Children in the United Kingdom
Hodes, M. (2000) · Child and Adolescent Mental Health · doi:10.1111/1475-3588.00286 · Cited by 140 · see citing works
The mental health of refugees: Ecological approaches to healing and adaptation.
Miller, K. E., & Rasco, L. M. (2004) · Cited by 130 · see citing works
PTSD in asylum-seeking male adolescents from Afghanistan
Bronstein, I., Montgomery, P., & Dobrowolski, S. (2012) · Journal of Traumatic Stress · doi:10.1002/jts.21740 · Cited by 121 · cited 1× · see citing works
“An item-by-item breakdown is reported elsewhere [45].”
Thomas, S. L., Thomas, S. L., Nafees, B., & Bhugra, D. (2004) · Child Care Health and Development · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2003.00404.x · Cited by 121 · see citing works
An Ecological Framework for Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Refugee Communities
(2004) · The Mental Health of Refugees · doi:10.4324/9781410610263-8 · Cited by 114 · see citing works
Validity issues in transcultural epidemiology
van Ommeren, M. (2003) · The British Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1192/bjp.182.5.376 · Cited by 108 · see citing works
Bean, T., Derluyn, I., Eurelings-Bontekoe, E. H. M., Broekaert, E., & Spinhoven, P. (2007) · PubMed · Cited by 97 · see citing works
2005 UNHCR Statistical Yearbook
Asia, S. (2005) · Cited by 95 · see citing works
Groark, C., Sclare, I., & Raval, H. (2011) · Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/1359104510370405 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children: The Response of Social Work Services
Chase, E. (2006) · Child & Family Social Work · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2206.2006.00462.x · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Unaccompanied Adolescents Seeking Asylum
Reijneveld, S. A., de Boer, J. B., Bean, T., & Korfker, D. G. (2005) · The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease · doi:10.1097/01.nmd.0000185870.55678.82 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children: The Response of Social Work Services
Wade, J., Mitchell, F., & Baylis, G. (2005) · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Fox, P. G., Cowell, J. M., & Montgomery, A. C. (1994) · Public Health Nursing · doi:10.1111/j.1525-1446.1994.tb00401.x · Cited by 42 · see citing works
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
(2014) · International Year Book and Statesmen's Who's Who · doi:10.1163/1570-6664_iyb_sim_org_2268 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
The Emotional Well‐Being of Young People Seeking Asylum in the UK
Jeyasingham, D. (2009) · Child & Family Social Work · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2206.2009.00651.x · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Ethnicity and Civil Society in Contemporary Afghanistan
Riphenburg, C. J. (2005) · The Middle East Journal · doi:10.3751/59.1.12 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Strategies for the Prevention of Social Exclusion: An Analysis of the Children's Fund
Barnes, M., & Morris, K. (2008) · Journal of Social Policy · doi:10.1017/s0047279407001730 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Hollins, K., Heydari, H., Grayson, K., & Leavey, G. (2007) · Diversity & Equality in Health and Care · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Davin, A. (1990) · Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-349-20705-3_3 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Bean, T. (2006) · Leiden Repository (Leiden University) · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Clay, R. A. (2010) · PsycEXTRA Dataset · doi:10.1037/e553242010-012 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Littlewood, R. (2002) · The British Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1192/bjp.181.6.546-a · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Children exposed to war in Afghanistan
Gupta, L. (2005) · Bereavement Care · doi:10.1080/02682620508657630 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Loyn, D. (2008) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
3 of the 62 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Henkelmann, J.-R., de Best, S., Deckers, C., Jensen, K., Shahab, M. K., Elzinga, B. M., & Molendijk, M. L. (2020) · BJPsych Open · doi:10.1192/bjo.2020.54 · Cited by 391 · see citing works
Kien, C., Sommer, I., Faustmann, A., Gibson, L., Schneider, M., Krczal, E., Jank, R., Klerings, I., Szeląg, M., Kerschner, B., et al. (2018) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-018-1215-z · Cited by 333 · see citing works
Scharpf, F., Kaltenbach, E., Nickerson, A., & Hecker, T. (2020) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101930 · Cited by 246 · see citing works
Between power and powerlessness: a meta-ethnography of sources of resilience in young refugees
Sleijpen, M., Boeije, H., Kleber, R. J., & Mooren, T. T. M. (2015) · Ethnicity and Health · doi:10.1080/13557858.2015.1044946 · Cited by 204 · see citing works
“…in refugee youth and supported the ecological model, a context-driven approach that focuses on the dynamic interactions among various personal and environmental factors, to understand risk, stress, and protective factors associated with mental health (Bronstein, Montgomery, and Ott 2013).”
Jakobsen, M., Demott, M. A. M., Wentzel‐Larsen, T., & Heir, T. (2017) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015157 · Cited by 153 · see citing works
“14 The HSCL-37 A version is an extension of the HSCL-25 and has also been applied in a number of refugee studies with minors.(15) 16 The additional 12 items measuring externalising behaviour are not included in this paper.”
Development of mental health problems - a follow-up study of unaccompanied refugee minors
Jensen, T. K., Skårdalsmo, E. M. B., & Fjermestad, K. W. (2014) · Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health · doi:10.1186/1753-2000-8-29 · Cited by 148 · see citing works
“No cut-off has been suggested for the externalizing scale [23].”
BackgroundLong-term mental health in unaccompanied refugee minors: pre- and post-flight predictors
Jensen, T. K., Skar, A. S., Andersson, E. S., & Birkeland, M. S. (2019) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-019-01340-6 · Cited by 140 · see citing works
Lives on hold: A qualitative study of young refugees’ resilience strategies
Sleijpen, M., Mooren, T. T. M., Kleber, R. J., & Boeije, H. (2017) · Childhood · doi:10.1177/0907568217690031 · Cited by 137 · see citing works
“Altogether, this interplay between individual, social, and contextual factors supported the ecological model for understanding resilience in young refugees (e.g. Bronstein et al., 2013; Weine et al., 2014).”
BackgroundMüller, L. R. F., Büter, K. P., Rosner, R., & Unterhitzenberger, J. (2019) · Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health · doi:10.1186/s13034-019-0268-1 · Cited by 136 · see citing works
Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders Among Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Adolescents in Norway
Jakobsen, M., Demott, M. A. M., & Heir, T. (2014) · Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health · doi:10.2174/1745017901410010053 · Cited by 128 · see citing works
“Several refugee studies with minors have used this questionnaire [24-26].”
González‐García, C., Bravo, A., Arruabarrena, I., Martín, E., Santos, I., & del Valle, J. F. (2016) · Children and Youth Services Review · doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.12.011 · Cited by 116 · see citing works
Practitioner Review: Mental health problems of refugee children and adolescents and their management
Hodes, M., & Vostanis, P. (2018) · Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/jcpp.13002 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
“Consequently, they have high risk of PSTD and depression (Bronstein et al., 2012, Bronstein et al., 2013, Hodes et al., 2008, Geltman et al., 2008, Bean et al., 2007, Jakobsen et al., 2014).”
BackgroundCurtis, P., Thompson, J., & Fairbrother, H. (2018) · Public Health · doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2018.01.038 · Cited by 103 · see citing works
Marquardt, L., Krämer, A., Fischer, F., & Prüfer-Krämer, L. M. (2015) · Tropical Medicine & International Health · doi:10.1111/tmi.12649 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
Overrepresentation of unaccompanied refugee minors in inpatient psychiatric care
Ramel, B., Täljemark, J., Lindgren, A., & Johansson, B. A. (2015) · SpringerPlus · doi:10.1186/s40064-015-0902-1 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
“URMs in different host countries and with different origins have high levels of mental health problems, including PTSD, depression, anxiety and emotional and behavioural problems (Huemer et al. 2009; Bronstein et al. 2012; Bronstein et al. 2013; Jakobsen et al. 2014).”
BackgroundHilfebedarf und Hilfsangebote in der Versorgung von unbegleiteten minderjährigen Flüchtlingen
Witt, A., Rassenhofer, M., Fegert, J. M., & Plener, P. L. (2015) · Kindheit und Entwicklung · doi:10.1026/0942-5403/a000177 · Cited by 93 · see citing works
The mental health and wellbeing of Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URMs)
von Werthern, M., Grigorakis, G., & Vizard, E. (2019) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104146 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
A systematic review of risk and protective factors of mental health in unaccompanied minor refugees
Hoehne, E., van der Meer, A. S., Kamp‐Becker, I., & Christiansen, H. (2020) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-020-01678-2 · Cited by 88 · see citing works
Kadir, A., Battersby, A., Spencer, N. J., & Hjern, A. (2019) · BMJ Paediatrics Open · doi:10.1136/bmjpo-2018-000364 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
Alemi, Q., Panter‐Brick, C., Oriya, S., Ahmady, M., Alimi, A. Q., Faiz, H., Hakim, N., Hashemi, S. A. S., Manaly, M. A., Naseri, R., et al. (2023) · BJPsych Open · doi:10.1192/bjo.2023.502 · Cited by 102 · see citing works
Menores extranjeros no acompañados en España: necesidades y modelos de intervención
Bravo, A., & Santos, I. (2016) · Psychosocial Intervention · doi:10.1016/j.psi.2015.12.001 · Cited by 82 · see citing works
Allsopp, J., Chase, E., & Mitchell, M. (2014) · Journal of Refugee Studies · doi:10.1093/jrs/feu031 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Mitra, R., & Hodes, M. (2019) · Child Care Health and Development · doi:10.1111/cch.12640 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
The violence of uncertainty: Empirical evidence on how asylum waiting time undermines refugee health
Phillimore, J., & Cheung, S. Y. (2021) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114154 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Social determinants of emotional well-being in new refugees in the UK
Campbell, M. R., Mann, K. D., Moffatt, S. M., Dave, M., & Pearce, M. S. (2018) · Public Health · doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2018.07.022 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Refugee, asylum‐seeking and internally displaced children and adolescents
Fazel, M. S., Reed, R., & Stein, A. L. (2015) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/9781118381953.ch44 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
“Estimates for anxiety range from 10–30% (Tousignant et al ., 1999; Bronstein et al ., 2013).”
InfluentialNocon, A., Eberle-Sejari, R., Unterhitzenberger, J., & Rosner, R. (2017) · European Journal of Psychotraumatology · doi:10.1080/20008198.2017.1388709 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Demott, M. A. M., Jakobsen, M., Wentzel‐Larsen, T., & Heir, T. (2017) · Scandinavian Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1111/sjop.12395 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
Solberg, Ø., Nissen, A., Vaez, M., Cauley, P., Eriksson, A.-K., & Saboonchi, F. (2020) · Conflict and Health · doi:10.1186/s13031-020-00311-y · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Screening for posttraumatic stress disorder in young adult refugees from Syria and Iraq
Dietrich, H. W., Ali, R. A., Tagay, S., Hebebrand, J., & Reißner, V. (2018) · Comprehensive Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2018.11.001 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Bozok, M., & Bozok, N. (2018) · NORMA · doi:10.1080/18902138.2018.1519241 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Kauhanen, I., & Kaukko, M. (2020) · Child & Family Social Work · doi:10.1111/cfs.12772 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Food insecurity, state fragility and youth mental health: A global perspective
Elgar, F. J., Sen, A., Gariépy, G., Pickett, W., Davison, C., Georgiades, K., Hammami, N., Silva, M. A. D., Gordon, D., & Melgar-Quiñonez, H. R. (2021) · SSM - Population Health · doi:10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100764 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
“However, research on asylum-seeking youth from Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea and Iraq found persistently high prevalence of emotional and behavioural problems (Bronstein et al., 2013) posttraumatic stress symptoms (Müller et al.”
BackgroundA new life in Norway: The adaptation experiences of unaccompanied refugee minor girls
Brook, M. I., & Ottemöller, F. G. (2020) · Children and Youth Services Review · doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105287 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Müller-Bamouh, V., Ruf‐Leuschner, M., Dohrmann, K., Schauer, M., & Elbert, T. R. (2016) · European Journal of Psychotraumatology · doi:10.3402/ejpt.v7.27856 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Jakobsen, M., Demott, M. A. M., & Heir, T. (2017) · Transcultural Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/1363461517722868 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Prevalences of mental distress and its associated factors in unaccompanied refugee minors in Germany
Hoehne, E., Banaschewski, T., Bajbouj, M., Böge, K., Sukale, T., & Kamp‐Becker, I. (2021) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-021-01926-z · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Investigating the impact of site management on distress in refugee sites using Fuzzy Cognitive Maps
Drakaki, M., & Tzionas, P. G. (2021) · International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction · doi:10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102282 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Causes of family separation and barriers to reunification: Syrian refugees in Jordan
Chandler, H., Boothby, N., McNatt, Z., Berrigan, M. T., Zebib, L., Freels, P. E., Alshannaq, H. A., Majdalani, N., Mahmoud, A. S., & Majd, E. (2020) · Journal of Refugee Studies · doi:10.1093/jrs/feaa033 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Stories from unaccompanied children in immigration detention: A composite account
Zwi, K. J., & Mares, S. P. (2015) · Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health · doi:10.1111/jpc.12953 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Möhrle, B., Dölitzsch, C., Fegert, J. M., & Keller, F. (2016) · Kindheit und Entwicklung · doi:10.1026/0942-5403/a000206 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
The asylum‐process, bicultural identity and depression among unaccompanied young refugees☆
Oppedal, B., Ramberg, V., & Røysamb, E. (2020) · Journal of Adolescence · doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2020.07.007 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Addressing the limitations of age determination for unaccompanied minors: A way forward
Kenny, M. A., & Loughry, M. (2018) · Children and Youth Services Review · doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.05.002 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Mental health and resilience status of Eritrean unaccompanied refugee minors in Sudan
Badri, A., Eltayeb, S. M., Mohamed, M., & Verdeli, H. (2020) · Children and Youth Services Review · doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105088 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Hasson, R. G., Easton, S. D., Iriarte, A. D.-V., O’Dwyer, L. M., Underwood, D., & Crea, T. M. (2020) · Journal of Loss and Trauma · doi:10.1080/15325024.2020.1777760 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
“These rates are unexpectedly low compared to previous research on trauma and PTSD rates among unaccompanied youth in Europe and in the US (Bronstein et al., 2013; Cardoso, 2018; Jensen et al., 2015).”
ResultEstimating child separation in emergencies: Results from North Kivu
Stark, L., Rubenstein, B. L., Mansourian, H., Spencer, C., Noble, E., & Chisolm‐Straker, M. (2016) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.12.012 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Moderating role of moral injury in the mental health of adolescent refugees
McEwen, C., Alisic, E., & Jobson, L. (2022) · Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1002/jclp.23306 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Hornfeck, F., Sowade, C., & Bovenschen, I. (2022) · Children and Youth Services Review · doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106490 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Bilotta, N., & Denov, M. S. (2017) · The British Journal of Social Work · doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcx130 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Stark, L., MacFarlane, M., Rubenstein, B. L., Yu, G., Jensen, C., & Williamson, K. (2018) · BMJ Global Health · doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2018-000784 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Surviving genocide in Srebrenica during the early childhood and adolescent personality
Kravić, N., Pajević, I., & Hasanovic, M. I. (2013) · Croatian Medical Journal · doi:10.3325/cmj.2013.54.55 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Educators' positive practices with refugee pupils at two schools in England
Prentice, C. M. (2022) · British Educational Research Journal · doi:10.1002/berj.3818 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Hasson, R. G., Crea, T. M., Easton, S. D., Evans, K., & Underwood, D. (2021) · Children and Youth Services Review · doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106040 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Identifying Needs, Vulnerabilities and Resources in Refugee Persons and Groups
Wenzel, T., Völkl-Kernstock, S., Wittek, T. U., & Baron, D. A. (2018) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-72914-5_4 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
A meta-analysis of school-based interventions for student refugees, migrants, and immigrants
Charbonneau, S., deLeyer-Tiarks, J. M., Caterino, L. C., & Bray, M. A. (2021) · Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community · doi:10.1080/10852352.2021.1935190 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Hasson, R. G., Crea, T. M., Easton, S. D., & Underwood, D. (2021) · Child & Family Social Work · doi:10.1111/cfs.12895 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Research into unaccompanied refugee minors in family foster care: Promoting adaptive functioning?
Trenson, R., Vanderfaeillie, J., Thiele, A.-K., Trogh, L., & Holen, F. V. (2022) · Child & Family Social Work · doi:10.1111/cfs.12943 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Morroni, D., Konstantinou, P., Gkleka, C., Kassianos, A. P., & Karekla, M. (2025) · European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-024-02500-z · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Mental Health Services for Unaccompanied Children in the United States
Hasson, R. G., Iriarte, A. D.-V., & Underwood, D. (2022) · Journal of Loss and Trauma · doi:10.1080/15325024.2022.2141515 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
“Along with research on mental health outcomes for UC in Europe and the US, the resilience framework is a theoretical model that guides understanding of how individuals navigate various aspects of their environment.”
BackgroundInfluentialKara, B. H., & Stuart, J. (2021) · International Journal of Migration Health and Social Care · doi:10.1108/ijmhsc-04-2020-0035 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Dong, L., Peng, Y., Zhang, R., Ju, K., & Xi, J. (2023) · Children · doi:10.3390/children10081326 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
3-year data of the refugee child mental health unit (tur)
Ünver, H., Çeri, V., Fındık, O. T. P., & Arman, A. R. (2021) · Journal of Clinical Psychiatry · doi:10.5505/kpd.2020.57614 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Prod’hom, D., Amoussou, J. R., Plessen, K. J., de Grelle, N. C., & Gaultier, S. (2024) · International Journal of Public Health · doi:10.3389/ijph.2024.1606625 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“In some studies, externalising disorders that were initially absent were likely to develop with more time spent in the host country [28, 31, 50].”
BackgroundInfluentialTÜRKİYE VE ALMANYA’DAKİ SURİYELİ SIĞINMACILARA SUNULAN HAKLAR VE YAŞANAN SORUNLAR
Vardarlı, B., KHATIB, A. S. E., Uygur, S. S., & Gönültaş, M. (2019) · Elektronik Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi · doi:10.17755/esosder.431273 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Internal and International Migration and its Impact on the Mental Health of Migrants
Schininà, G., & Zanghellini, T. E. (2021) · Mental health and illness worldwide · doi:10.1007/978-981-10-2366-8_3 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
León, C. V., Pedrero, V., & Chepo, M. (2023) · Salud Uninorte · doi:10.14482/sun.39.01.610.422 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“dolor estomacal, irritabilidad, nerviosismo) (41,54), baja autoestima (28,41,55-57) comportamiento disruptivo (48,58,59) mayor participación en conductas de riesgo (45,46,51), hostilidad (51), neurotisismo elevado (25), desesperanza (60), comportamiento agresivo o antisocial (45,46,54), consumo de drogas lícitas e ilí…”
BackgroundMeier-Diedrich, E., Glaesmer, H., Sierau, S., Heinz, A., & Nesterko, Y. (2023) · Trauma und Gewalt · doi:10.21706/tg-17-1-22 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Gonçalves, R., Marques, M. J., Sibéoni, J., & Dias, S. (2026) · BMC Medicine · doi:10.1186/s12916-026-04619-z · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“Finally, factors including asylum regulations, family reunification policies, access to services, and socioeconomic conditions constitute some of the most powerful modifiable determinants of refugee’s children mental health [56, 67, 68, 71, 87, 88].”
Karayağmurlu, A., & Kaya, İ. (2020) · Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.5455/pbs.20200325020906 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Matteis, A. D., Türkmen-Ceylan, F. B., Ridsdel, J., & Matteis, G. D. (2023) · International Migration Review · doi:10.1177/01979183231202441 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Esterri, J. D., De‐Juanas, Á., Martínez, R. G., & Castilla, F. J. G. (2024) · International Journal of Social Welfare · doi:10.1111/ijsw.12658 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Ardino, V., & Benedetto, G. D. (2017) · MALTRATTAMENTO E ABUSO ALL INFANZIA · doi:10.3280/mal2017-002004 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Patseadou, M., Weber, C. C., & Haller, D. M. (2022) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056276 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Karaman, H., & Bulut, S. (2024) · Revista Colombiana de Psicología · doi:10.15446/rcp.v33n2.108085 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“Pre-immigration traumatic experiences and post-immigration asylum-seeker status and insufficient social support can all exacerbate ptsd and increase post-immigration problems (e.g., adaptation problems, discrimination, racist discourse, etc.) (Bronstein et al., 2012).”
BackgroundMartikainen, J., Farahani, H., & Musavi, S. N. (2025) · Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/casp.70194 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Viksveen, P., Doudouh, L., Mustafa, M., & Salamonsen, A. (2026) · Transcultural Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/13634615251409677 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“(Blackmore et al., 2020; Bronstein et al., 2013; Jensen et al., 2015; Vervliet et al., 2014a).”
Internal and International Migration and its Impact on the Mental Health of Migrants
Schininà, G., & Zanghellini, T. E. (2018) · Mental health and illness worldwide · doi:10.1007/978-981-10-0750-7_3-1 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Mansourian, H. (2020) · International Journal of Child Health and Nutrition · doi:10.6000/1929-4247.2020.09.01.5 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Hasson, R. G., Oliva, C. A., LaBella, B., & Rodriguez, D. (2024) · Children and Youth Services Review · doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107541 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Hanson-DeFusco, J., Dunn, W. N., & Smith, E. G. (2024) · Journal of Human Rights and Social Work · doi:10.1007/s41134-024-00297-0 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Navigating immigrant paths: A case study of unaccompanied youth in foster care
García, M. F., & Birman, D. (2024) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/ajcp.12768 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Mental Health Assessments for Resettled Afghan Children and Adolescents
Frounfelker, R. L., Dilts, C., Placencio‐Castro, M., Sharifi, F., Arwal, S. H., & Betancourt, T. S. (2025) · Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities · doi:10.1007/s40615-025-02536-0 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“%) of Afghan youth scored in the high to very high range on total scores for emotional and behavioral problems [24].”
Müller-Bamouh, V., Ruf‐Leuschner, M., Dohrmann, K., Elbert, T. R., & Schauer, M. (2019) · Zeitschrift für Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie · doi:10.1026/1616-3443/a000564 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
The role of parental factors in the mental health problems experienced by refugee children
Eruyar, Ş. (2018) · Figshare · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Estimating child separation in emergencies: Results from
Stark, L., Rubenstein, B. L., Mansourian, H., Spencer, C., Noble, E., & Chisolm‐Straker, M. (2016)
Liversage, A., Olsen, R. F., & Larsen, K. S. (2021) · Nordic Social Work Research · doi:10.1080/2156857x.2021.1874494
“…groups are particularly challenged, e.g. refugee children and parents who may have had traumatizing experiences (Sullivan and Simonson 2016; Silwal et al. 2019) or have been in the asylum system for lengthy periods of time (Bronstein, Montgomery, and Ott 2013; Groark, Sclare, and Raval 2011).”
BackgroundFarmbrough, J. (2014) · University of Birmingham Institutional Research Archive (University of Birmingham)
Jakobsen, M., Vervliet, M., Demott, M. A. M., Derluyn, I., & Heir, T. (2022) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-1191698/v1
Post-migration Stressors and Educational Coping Mechanisms among Adolescent Refugees in Malaysia
Wahab, R. A., Sueb, R., & Kyaw, M. M. (2022) · International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences · doi:10.6007/ijarbss/v12-i7/14137
The impact of the COVID-19 measures on the lives of unaccompanied refugee minors
Trenson, R., Vanderfaeillie, J., Verheyden, C., Trogh, L., & Holen, F. V. (2024) · Developmental Child Welfare · doi:10.1177/25161032241244796
Viksveen, P., Ree, E., Bjønness, S. E., Hansen, K. L., Meldahl, L. G., Krijger, L., Relton, C., Cornaglia, F., Berg, S. H., Hodne, S., et al. (2024) · doi:10.2196/preprints.64531
Morroni, D., Charalambous, E., & Karekla, M. (2025) · Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science · doi:10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100919
Praca socjalna z małoletnimi uchodźcami bez opieki
Zmysłowska, M. J. (2025) · Praca Socjalna · doi:10.71358/ps.2018
Gyimah, A., Ajayi, C. E., & Mulongo, P. (2025) · OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine · doi:10.21926/obm.icm.2503031
Viksveen, P., Ree, E., Bjønness, S. E., Hansen, K. L., Meldahl, L. G., Krijger, L., Relton, C., Cornaglia, F., Berg, S. H., Hodne, S., et al. (2025) · JMIR Research Protocols · doi:10.2196/64531
“Internationally, asylum-seeking and refugee youth have high rates of mental disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression [5-8].”
Schwartz, L., Sijbrandij, M., van der Ven, E., Alözkan, C., & Lane, H. (2025) · International Journal of Mental Health · doi:10.1080/00207411.2025.2595363
Toprakkiran, S., Schachter, A., & Lai, C. K. (2025) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.5934372
- Authors
- Bronstein, I., Montgomery, P., & Ott, E.
- Affiliations
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Bronstein, Israel
- Venue
- European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Published
- 2012-11-16
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 285-294
- ISSN
- 1018-8827 (ISSN-L)
- 1435-165X
- OpenAlex
- W2138949160
- Cited by
- 107
- References
- 62
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 4.34
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Johns Hopkins University
- University of Oxford
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Migration, Health and Trauma
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Migration and Exile Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, Afghan refugees, emotional and behavioral problems, anxiety, depression, cumulative trauma, forced migration, peer effects, resilience
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Afghanistan, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Depressive Disorder, Female, United Kingdom, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Refugees, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Prevalence, Databases, Factual
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review