HR-2310 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Mental Disorder, Clinical Psychology, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
19 Jun 2018
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Nov.2015
Lecture: Mental Health In Refugees And Its Effects On Integration
Images of individuals and families crossing borders to find safety, after having witnessed
violence and destruction, leaving possessions and family members behind, have come to repre-
sent the human impact of conflict and disaster.
Conflict and displacement brings about a range of stressors and has the potential to negatively
impact the mental health and well-being of everyone affected.
Persons of Concern [PoC] – refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, and state-
less people.
Until the late 1980s, the primary concern of humanitarian response was provision of services
to meet basic material needs of displaced persons. Mental health and psychosocial problems
of refugees were rarely, if ever, discussed or addressed.
Affects of mental health: may cause social issues such as family separation, destruction of
community structures and social networks, and psychological issues including depression, grief,
anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder [PSTD].
What is mental health + affects: Mental health and psychosocial issues may impact func-
tioning. Functioning refers to the an individual to complete daily tasks, including social function-
ing, livelihoods and household well-being. Symptoms such as anger and aggression can result in
increased violence.
Definition of Mental Health: Mental health: a state of well-being in which an individual real-
izes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and
is able to make a contribution to his or her community. In this positive sense, mental health is the
foundation for individual wellbeing and the effective functioning of a community.
1) psychological effects – “affect different levels of functioning including cogni-
tive (perceptions and memory as a basis for thoughts and learning), affective (emotions), and be-
haviour,”
2) social effects - including altered relationships, family and community net-
works, and economic status.
Causes of mental illnesses in refugees: Multiple studies focused on depression, anxiety
and PTSD amongst conflict-affected populations have found a strong association between expo-
sure to trauma and mental health symptoms. However, it is also evident that stressors that are
generated by conflict and displacement, such as inadequate housing, unemployment and changes
in family structure – sometimes termed as “daily stressors” – are important influences on mental
health status, if not more important and pressing than the impact of trauma.
Why POC are more prone: Steel – a clinical psychologist whose research focuses on mental
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Document Summary
Lecture: mental health in refugees and its effects on integration. Images of individuals and families crossing borders to find safety, after having witnessed violence and destruction, leaving possessions and family members behind, have come to repre- sent the human impact of conflict and disaster. Conflict and displacement brings about a range of stressors and has the potential to negatively impact the mental health and well-being of everyone affected. Persons of concern [poc] refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, and state- less people. Until the late 1980s, the primary concern of humanitarian response was provision of services to meet basic material needs of displaced persons. Mental health and psychosocial problems of refugees were rarely, if ever, discussed or addressed. Affects of mental health: may cause social issues such as family separation, destruction of community structures and social networks, and psychological issues including depression, grief, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder [pstd].
