Psychosocial dynamics affecting health and social care of forced migrants: a narrative review

Abstract

Purpose

Through the overview of studies on social representations of forced migrants (socio-cultural level of analysis), the purpose of this paper is to highlight how the variables implicated at the macro levels of analysis may affect the way social and health workers relate to and care for forced migrants (inter-personal level of analysis), as well as the settlement process of forced migrants and their identity reconstruction during the post-migration period.

Design/methodology/approach

The narrative review analyses empirical studies from peer-reviewed journals in the field of social psychology that address forced migration. Indeed, the framework used for analysing this literature is the interplay within different levels of analysis, as proposed by Willem Doise’s (1982) using the socio-psychological approach.

Findings

Psychosocial factors play influential roles on structuring the way natives health and social professionals relate with forced migrants: among others, needs related to possible traumatising processes are attributed to forced migrants by natives providers. Therefore, identity negotiation process in the forced migration shows a tendency of migrants to reshape the definition of the self within those narrative boundaries that would ensure the protection by the law and that reinforce the social representation of the “medicalised” victim.

Originality/value

The review would represent a possibility to reflect around dynamics created by the complex interplay within different social actors that contact during the settlement process of forced migrants inside host societies.

Citation

Bottura, B. and Mancini, T. (2016), "Psychosocial dynamics affecting health and social care of forced migrants: a narrative review", International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 109-119. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-04-2014-0012