Examining Traumatic Experiences: Violence, Loss, Isolation, Cultural Struggle, and Their Influence on the Mental Health of Unaccompanied Rohingya Youth Resettled in the U.S.

Abstract

The Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority from Myanmar, are a relatively small, yet extremely vulnerable group of refugees in the United States. Most research on Rohingya focuses on trauma in Myanmar rather than adjustment to the U.S., and almost none looks specifically at adolescents. Therefore, in this paper the data are from qualitative focus groups (n = 10) with 23 service providers to help answer the research question: In what ways did service providers discuss the trauma histories and mental health adjustment of Rohingya unaccompanied refugee minors? Results indicate that both pre-migration trauma and aspects of adjustment post-arrival are factors influencing the rocky start to life in U.S. communities. Specifically, a history of normalized violence was noted to lead to acting out behaviors and seeking of harm; and their vast experiences of loss (family, friends, and culture) were discussed in terms of survivors’ guilt and prolonged mental health challenges. Themes in terms of post migration isolation in a new environment, and cultural struggles in understanding U.S. culture and the norms of foster care were also discussed. Implications include the need to destigmatize mental health services and seek alternatives, help youth overcome the survivor’s guilt, and ensure both foster parents and case management staff have adequate training and tools to work with youth who have experienced extreme institutional discrimination, personal violence, and ethnic cleansing.

Keywords:

• Trauma
• violence
• loss
• isolation
• cultural struggle
• Rohingya
• refugee resettlement
• foster care

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops/Migration and Refugee Service.

Notes on contributors

Kerri Evans

Kerri Evans, Ph.D., LCSW, is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) and earned her Ph.D. from Boston College School of Social Work. Dr. Evans' research stems from her social work experience with unaccompanied immigrant and refugee children in the US. She has held many roles including an in-home bilingual case manager, a program manager for immigrants and refugees in foster care, a cross-border permanency specialist for immigrant families impacted by the child welfare system, a community organizer working to increase access to higher education for immigrants, and an ESL teacher. Utilizing partnerships with nonprofit organizations, Dr. Evans works to answer service providers' questions to improve service delivery and make policy recommendations that will improve the lives of immigrants and refugees in the US. Topically, most of her research focuses on unaccompanied immigrant and refugee children's well-being and school welcome for immigrants

Nick Nemphos

Nicholas Nemphos is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Social Work with his MSW in 2023, and from University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) with a Bachelors in Social Work. He has been involved with multiple research projects (including this one) through both UMBC and UMB related to immigrants and refugees, and volunteer work at Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. He currently works at the Veterans Affairs as a clinician.

Teri Husfloen

Teri Husfloen: At the time of the study, Teri was a key staff member at United States Conference of Catholic Bishops/ Migration and Refugee Services who was helping to implement this study. She has since moved roles and is now working at Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, and has stayed engaged with the project.

Hannah Ferguson

Hannah Ferguson serves as the Associate Director for Foster Care at Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS). Ms. Ferguson received her Master of Arts in Global Policy from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from American University. Ms. Ferguson has prior experience in direct service working with immigrant and refugee youth in the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM) program and now focuses on the program management of several foster care programs in her current position with LIRS. Hannah oversaw this project for this agency.

Kathleen Gross

Kathleen Goss was the Associate Director of Foster Care at United States Conference of Catholic Bishops/ Migration and Refugee Services and oversaw this project for this agency.