Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of forcibly displaced populations
Abstract
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that as of 2024 there were 122.6 million who have been forcibly displaced from their homes across the globe. The wars in Ukraine and Gaza have led to a further marked increase in these numbers.
Mental health difficulties have been shown to be elevated in forcibly displaced people (including asylum seeking and refugee populations). Risk factors can be associated with events that occurred prior to, during, and after a person’s migratory journey.
Whilst there is recognition of the important impact that a history of traumatic events (e.g. torture, abuse and neglect) can have, social adversity in the form of ‘daily stressors’ (e.g. a lack of access to basic resources, isolation, lack of safety and security, family violence) is being increasingly recognised as an important factor influencing the mental health of forcibly displaced people. Concerns have been raised about the potential medicalisation of social difficulties faced by displaced populations. There has also been a comparative lack of research investigating approaches that may be potentially helpful for supporting forcibly displaced people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Professor White’s presentation will focus on research that he has conducted in relation to:
- The development of assessment measures for evaluating the mental health and wellbeing of forcibly displaced people.
- The evaluation of interventions for supporting the mental health and wellbeing of forcibly displaced people.
How to join this event
This is an online event that is free and open for all to attend. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with the login details for the session on Zoom.
About the speaker
Dr Ross White is Professor of Clinical Psychology at QUB. He has expertise in Global Mental Health and is particularly interested in understanding and addressing factors impacting the mental health and wellbeing of forcibly displaced populations. He has collaborated with the World Health Organization and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in developing and evaluating psychosocial interventions for refugees.
Ross was the lead author of The Palgrave Handbook of Sociocultural Perspectives of Global Mental Health (Palgrave MacMillan). He also has a keen research interest in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of adults working in high-performance environments including elite level athletes. In 2024, he authored a popular science book entitled The Tree That Bends: How a Flexible Mind can help you thrive He is an Association of Contextual Behavioural Science peer-reviewed trainer of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
About the event organisers
This event is organised by the Refugee Mental Health and Place Network and co-sponsored by the ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health.
Refugee Mental Health and Place Network
The Refugee Mental Health and Place Network is a growing network of researchers and community organisations exploring post-migration factors and refugee mental health. We seek to strengthen interdisciplinary expertise and intersectoral capacity to inform health and social policy to help improve mental health outcomes for refugees and asylum seekers. Read more in our recent blog on Understanding the role of place in refugee mental health to inform policy.
ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health
The ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health develops research to promote and sustain good mental health in communities. We aim to shift public debate about mental health away from a focus on individualised interventions, towards social practices and policies that promote and sustain good mental health.
More information
This online event forms part of the Refugee Mental Health and Place Series, a collection of events which aims to deepen our understanding of the role of place in refugee mental health outcomes, the structural causes of mental health differences, and community sources of support.
Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Directory for Refugees and Migrants in London
The MHPSS Directory is a broad and detailed list of organisations providing mental health and social support services to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in London and Greater London.
Find out more and download the MHPSS directory.
Contact us
We would like all our events to be inclusive and accessible. Please do not hesitate to contact us by email to csmh@kcl.ac.uk to let us know if you have any access requirements or to find out more about this session.
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