| Yhteenveto: | Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the impact of social support on
acculturation process and its’ outcomes on the current mental and physical
health of refugees resettling in Jyväskylä, Finland.
Method: Data were gathered qualitatively. Eight participants of refugee back ground
filled out a questionnaire assessing sociodemographic information and
participated in semi-structured interviews. Two interviews were held
individually and two focus-group ones. To analyse the data, qualitative
thematic analysis was used.
Results: Refugees settling in Finland evidenced experiences of acculturative stress.
Participants had received social support both from formal and informal
networks. The results indicate that social support – particularly support
provided by settlement social services play a significant role during the
acculturation process of refugees. Provided and perceived social support had
a positive effect on diminishing refugees’ acculturative stress. Pre-
migration trauma and previous socioeconomic status was associated with
acculturative stress and health outcomes.
Conclusions: Nonetheless traumatic pre-migration experiences, experiences of acculturative
stress and poor health outcomes, perceived and provided social support had a
positive effect on acculturation strategy choice and attitude, thus lessening
refugees mal-being during the acculturation process in Jyväskylä, Finland.
|
|---|