Refugee families who flee their homes as a result of conflict or persecution and face stressful migration experiences often struggle with trauma that may put them at increased risk for family discord and dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to use an interpretative phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of 8 refugee mothers resettled in the United States, in particular their experiences pre-, during, and post-migration, and to further examine the impact that these experiences had on their relationships to their children and families. The study also examined mothers' experiences with different forms of support systems post-resettlement. Participants were recruited through a resettlement agency in Roanoke, Virginia. This study illuminated a number of key findings to further inform research, theory, and practice with this population. Refugee mothers reported stressful and traumatic experiences across their migration, describing harsh living conditions, prolonged stays in refugee camps, and loss of children and other family members as some of the most stressful experiences. Once resettled, mothers spoke of continued challenges, including language barriers and inconsistent or arbitrary support from formal social support services. Findings also suggest resiliency among this sample of refugee families, with mothers highlighting strong relationships with their children during and post-migration. The current study further informs the family stress literature and contributes a strength-based framework to understanding challenges faced by refugee families across the migration period. / Doctor of Philosophy / Refugee families who flee their homes as a result of conflict or persecution and face stressful migration experiences often struggle with trauma that may put them at increased risk for family dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of 8 refugee mothers resettled in the United States, in particular their experiences pre-, during, and post-migration, and to further examine the impact that these experiences had on their relationships with their children and families. The study also examined mothers’ experiences with different forms of support after resettlement. Participants were recruited through a resettlement agency in Roanoke, Virginia. This study highlighted a number of key findings to further inform research, theory, and practice with this population. Refugee mothers reported stressful and traumatic experiences across their migration, describing harsh living conditions, prolonged stays in refugee camps, and loss of children and other family members as some of the most stressful experiences. Once resettled, mothers spoke of continued challenges, including language barriers and inconsistent support from social services. Findings also showed mothers’ resiliency, with mothers highlighting strong relationships with their children during and post-migration. The current study further informs the family stress literature and contributes a strength-based framework to understanding challenges faced by refugee families across the migration period.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/101939 |
| Date | 25 July 2019 |
| Creators | Tsokodayi, Ruvimbo Tapiwa |
| Contributors | Adult Learning and Human Resource Development, Kaestle, Christine E., Dunsmore, Julie C., Bradburn, Isabel S., Grafsky, Erika L., Smith, Cynthia L. |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf, text/html |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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