What type of study is this?

This is a Cross-Sectional Study study.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to examine the relationship between RLO service receipt and integration outcomes among Burmese refugees in Malaysia.

April 30, 2026Open Access

Refugee-Led Organizations and Integration Outcomes among Burmese Refugees in Malaysia: Evidence on Social Cohesion, Aspirations, and Psychosocial Well-Being

Key Points

This research aims to examine the relationship between RLO service receipt and integration outcomes among Burmese refugees in Malaysia.
Cross-sectional survey design with 103 participants from the Burmese refugee community in Malaysia.
Assessment of service receipt from refugee-led organizations and its impact on social cohesion, aspirations, and well-being.
Statistical analysis using regression models to identify predictors of social cohesion.
RLO service receipt was positively correlated with social cohesion (r = .62, p < .001) and psychosocial well-being (r = .60, p < .001).
Health/medical assistance emerged as the strongest predictor of social cohesion (B = .40, p = .001).
Family presence was significantly associated with higher long-term aspirations (p = .01) and psychosocial well-being (p = .02).

Abstract

In Malaysia's restrictive protection environment, Burmese refugees face severely constrained access to formal healthcare, education, and livelihood opportunities, increasing reliance on refugee-led organizations (RLOs) for community-based support. This cross-sectional survey (N = 103) examined whether RLO service receipt is associated with social cohesion, long-term aspirations, and psychosocial well-being; identified which service categories best predict social cohesion; and assessed whether family presence is associated with integration-relevant outcomes; supplementary analysis also explored whether outcomes varied by length of stay. RLO services received were positively associated with social cohesion (r = .62, p < .001), long-term aspirations (r = .55, p < .001), and psychosocial well-being (r = .60, p < .001). A service-specific regression model was statistically significant, F(6, 96) = 18.59, p < .001, explaining substantial variance in social cohesion (R² = .54, adjusted R² = .51), with health/medical assistance emerging as the strongest positive predictor (B = .40, p = .001), followed by skills training (B = .24, p = .004) and mental health support (B = .23, p = .020). Notably, guidance related to UNHCR processes was negatively associated with social cohesion (B = −.34, p < .001), suggesting that individuals accessing administrative services may represent a subgroup experiencing heightened precarity. Family presence was significantly associated with higher long-term aspirations (p = .01) and psychosocial well-being (p = .02). Supplementary analysis revealed that refugees residing in Malaysia for 2–5 years reported lower aspirations and psychosocial well-being than recently arrived refugees, indicating a mid-term vulnerability phase in protracted displacement. These findings indicate that RLO service receipt is closely associated with integration-relevant outcomes including future orientation and psychosocial functioning in a legally constrained context, highlighting the importance of community-led health, psychosocial, and skills-based programming, particularly for refugees in the mid-term phase of displacement.

Read Full Paperexternally

KI fragen

Bookmark

View Full Paper