Psychopathology and Social Disruption in Refugees

Refugee resettlement and adaptation is a national as well as international problem that is increasingly challenging mental health professionals all over the world (Grant, 1979; Tyhurst, 1981). Refugees come from divergent cultural backgrounds. While some have been long-time city-dwellers, others until recently may have only lived in their tribal land. Many displaced persons are prominent intellectuals fleeing political prosecution, whereas others may be illiterate villagers simply escaping cross-fire between fighting parties. They left their homeland with varying degrees of unpreparedness, experienced different kinds of trauma, and embraced their new lives with either enthusiasm or hesitation. With so many apparent differences among divergent refugee groups, one might question the validity and utility of regarding refugee status as an independent variable and discussing the impact of the refugee experiences on the mental health of the refugees without referring to the specific group.