Adolescent Refugee Potential Traumatic Experience and Mental Health in Gambella Region in Ethiopia: A Model Examining Mediating Effects of Coping and Resilience

TL;DR

This study explores how coping and resilience affect the mental health of adolescent refugees in Ethiopia who have experienced trauma.

Contribution

The study identifies coping and resilience as key mediators in the relationship between traumatic experiences and mental health outcomes in adolescent refugees.

Findings

Coping and resilience fully mediate the relationship between traumatic experiences and mental health outcomes.

Refugee camp duration weakens the positive relationship between traumatic experiences and mental health outcomes.

Early intervention in refugee camps can protect adolescents from psychological distress.

Abstract

Background: Refugees often experience multiple traumatic events due to persecution, conflict, and displacement, which can result in poor mental health outcomes. Objective: The current study examined whether coping and resilience mediate the relationship between traumatic experience(s) and mental health outcomes and whether these indirect effects were moderated by age, gender, and refugee camp duration. Method: A cross-sectional, correlational study design was employed. Data were collected from 14 July 2019 to 28 August 2019. A sample of 414 adolescent refugees from two refugee camps in the Gambella regional state of Ethiopia were selected using proportional stratified sampling and simple random sampling techniques. Participants completed a self-reported questionnaire. Data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling for hypotheses testing causal models. Results: Coping and resilience fully mediated the relationship between traumatic experience and mental health among adolescent refugees. Refugee camp duration as a moderator factor weakens the positive relationship between traumatic experiences and mental health outcomes. Conclusions: This study highlights the critical importance of comprehensive intervention strategies that strengthen adolescent refugee personal, family, social, and community level coping and resilience abilities within refugee camps setting. The findings also strongly suggested that early intervention in refugee camps could protect adolescent refugees from possible psychological distress and maintain adolescents’ mental health and well-being within refugee camps.

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