Submission ID 117052
| Issue/Objective | An estimated 117 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide, including 47 million children. Approximately 75% live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), often in urban slums and refugee camps for decades in multigenerational households. Despite this, research on intergenerational trauma transmission (ITT) and its effects on children's mental health and psychosocial (MHPS) well-being mainly focuses on refugees in high-income countries (HICs), leaving a gap in understanding how this plays out in resource-constrained contexts. Hence, this research aims to explore the mechanisms of ITT and its impact on children's MHPS well-being in refugee communities in LMICs. |
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| Methodology/Approach | A systematic review is underway, synthesizing existing literature on the potential mechanisms of ITT and its effects on MHPS outcomes among children (0-18 years) of forcibly displaced parents in LMICs. The review follows PRISMA guidelines and uses the PI(E)CO framework with a Boolean search strategy across 10 databases: Ovid Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Global Health, PTSDpubs, Global Index Medicus, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Trials, and ProQuest. Additional references are identified through citation checking and organizational websites. Rayyan is used for screening and MS Excel for data extraction. Studies on migrants, immigrants, internally displaced populations, refugees in HICs, biological factors, and review articles are excluded. Study quality is assessed using the CASP checklist, with key findings synthesized through a narrative analysis. A second reviewer will verify 20% of each stage, with a third reviewer resolving disagreements. |
| Results | In total, 12,050 references were extracted, with 6,323 undergoing screening after deduplication. A full-text review is scheduled for April 2025 to identify existing concepts on refugee trauma and its long-term effects on, and mechanisms of transmission to, children's MHPS in LMICs. Additional outcomes include identifying tools and methodologies used to assess parents' traumatic experiences, mechanisms of ITT, and children's MHPS outcomes in LMIC refugee populations. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | Findings will inform an inclusive framework that integrates intergenerational trauma with the personal trauma and daily stressors model to address refugee children's mental health. This will help NGOs and UN agencies design intergenerational trauma-informed programs and guide host countries' settlement services in developing inclusive policies and improving refugee mental health. |
| Presenters and affiliations | Lisa Parvin University of Oxford Kellerine Quah University of Oxford Felix Bieberstein University of Oxford Gracia Fellmeth University of Oxford Nicole Votruba University of Oxford |
