Echoes of prolonged displacement: A mixed-methods comparison of still-displaced and relocated populations

This mixed-methods study compared 595 Kashmiri Pandits, including 297 who remained displaced and 298 who had relocated to the Kashmir Valley. Survey measures covered perceived social support from family, friends, and significant others; individual resilience; positive affect; life satisfaction; anxiety; and depression. Twenty interviews were used to help explain the survey findings. Relocated participants reported lower perceived social support, higher anxiety and depression, and lower life satisfaction than participants who remained displaced. There was no significant group difference in positive affect. Path analysis showed that social support was linked to several mental health outcomes and partly explained the association between displacement status and these outcomes. Individual resilience was not a significant mediator in the final model. The interviews described lasting effects of forced displacement, including loss of home and community, economic hardship, fear, and difficulty rebuilding social ties. Among relocated participants, returning to the region did not always restore a sense of safety or belonging. These findings suggest that physical relocation alone may not be enough to support recovery. Efforts to improve well-being after prolonged displacement should also support social relationships, community connections, livelihoods, and access to mental health care.