We are 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.
Mental health remains a pressing issue for displaced people. Recent scholarship has unequivocally recognised the importance of pre- and post-migration factors, including flight and resettlement, for people's mental health and wellbeing. Yet, increasingly hostile treatment of asylum seekers is but one sign that the post-migration context does not guarantee the peace of mind and safety associated with refuge. As well as experiencing precarious and uncertain conditions until asylum is granted, refugees have the added challenge of adapting to a new sociocultural environment, which can be difficult because of structural racism, discrimination, and marginalisation.
The role of place is salient given refugees have often little or no control over where they live and are more likely to experience the kind of adverse neighbourhood factors that have been more broadly associated with poor mental health. Furthermore, refugees can be isolated geographically because of dispersal policies which entails providing people with accommodation in often impoverished and isolated areas of the country. All these factors have been linked to worse mental health outcomes and a decrease in the quality of life for refugees.
Here you can find information about our current projects, activism and resources related to refugee mental health and the role of place. Please get in touch with us to learn more about our network and related initiatives.
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Publications
Articles
Abi Chahine, M., Kienzler, H. Ageism, an invisible social determinant of health for older Syrian refugees in Lebanon: a service providers’ perspective. Confl Health 16, 62 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-022-00491-9
Adigwe, G. A., Alloh, F., Tribe, R., Smith, P., & Regimi, P. (2024). Assessment of health-related quality of life of stroke survivors in Southeast communities in Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(9), 1116. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21091116
Adigwe, G. A., Tribe, R., Alloh, F., & Smith, P. (2022). Impact of stroke on the quality of life (QOL) of stroke survivors in the Southeast (SE) communities of Nigeria: A qualitative study. Disabilities. https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7272/2/3/36/pdf
Aktar, S., & Tribe, R. (2024a). The experience of self-harming behaviours that inflict external injuries to the body in UK-based Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani women: A literature review. International Review of Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2024.2306620
Aktar, S., & Tribe, R. (2024b). Perceived powerlessness and self-harming behaviours that inflict external injuries to the body in UK-based Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani females. International Review of Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2024.2306638
Aktar, S., & Tribe, R. (2024c). “Self-harm is wrong”: The experience of self-harming behaviours that inflict external injuries to the body in UK-based Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani women: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. International Review of Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2024.2306615
Alhakim, J., Berdondini, L., & Marshall, C. (2021). Humanitarian intervention training programs. In D. Bhugra, D. Moussaoui, A. Ventriglio, & R. Tribe (Eds.), Mental health, mental illness and migration (pp. 1–15). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0750-7_32-1
Asif, Z., & Kienzler, H. (2022). Structural barriers to refugee, asylum seeker and undocumented migrant healthcare access. Perceptions of Doctors of the World caseworkers in the UK. SSM-Mental Health, 2, 100088. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2022.100088
Ballo, E., & Tribe, R. (2023). Therapeutic work with clients living in poverty. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640221139798
Bhugra, D., Tribe, R., & Poulter, D. (2022). Social justice, health equity and mental health. South African Journal of Psychology, 52(1), 3–10. https://doi.org/10.1177/00812463211070921
Bulik, K. & Colucci, E. (2019). Refugees, resettlement experiences and mental health: a systematic review of case studies, Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria, 68(2): 121-32 http://www.scielo.br/pdf/jbpsiq/v68n2/1982-0208-jbpsiq-68-02-0121.pdf
Colucci, E., Jaroudy, S. & Rossmann, M. (2022) Piloting of a Suicide First Aid Gatekeeper Training (online) for children and young people in conflict affected areas in Syria, International Review of Psychiatry, Sept https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2022.2100245
Colucci, E., Jaroudy, S., & Rossmann, M. (2022). Piloting of a suicide first aid gatekeeper training (online) for children and young people in conflict affected areas in Syria. International Review of Psychiatry, 1-9. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09540261.2022.2100245 Guidelines are freely available via links in the paper.
Colucci, E., Szwarc, J., Minas, H., Paxton, J. and Guerra, C. (2014). The utilisation of mental health services among children and young people from a refugee background: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 7(1), 86-108
Colucci, E., Minas, H., Szwarc, J., Paxton, J. and Guerra, C. (2015). Barriers and facilitators to the utilization of mental health services among young people of refugee backgrounds. Transcultural Psychiatry, 52(6), 766-790
Colucci, E., Valibhoy, M., Szwarc, J. Kaplan. I. & Minas, H. (2017). Improving access to and engagement with mental health services among young people from refugee backgrounds: Service user and provider perspectives, International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 10(2), 185-196
Colucci, E., Too, T. & Minas, H. (2017). A suicide research agenda for people from immigrant and refugee backgrounds. Death Studies, Vol 41(8), Special Issueon Critical Suicidology http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07481187.2017.1332912?scroll=top&needAccess=true
Colucci E. et al., (2018). Suicide first aid guidelines for assisting persons from immigrant or refugee background: a Delphi study. Advances in Mental Health, 16(2), 105-116 https://doi.org/10.1080/18387357.2018.1469383
Dung, E. J., Ike, T .J.E. , Tribe, R., Tunariu, A.D., Rohleder, P. & Mackenzie, A. (2022) Berom cultural beliefs and attitudes towards mental health problems in Nigeria: a mixed-methods study, Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 24,5, DOI: 10.1080/13674676.2021.2019205
El Baba, R. & Colucci, E. (2017). Post-traumatic stress disorders, depression, and anxiety in unaccompanied refugee minors exposed to war-related trauma: a systematic review, International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 11(2), 194-207 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17542863.2017.1355929
Ermansons, G. (2024). UK khat prohibition and the making of a harmful drug. Medicine Anthropology Theory, 11(3), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.17157/mat.11.3.7292
Ermansons, G., Kienzler, H., & Schofield, P. (2024). Somali refugees in urban neighborhoods: An eco-social study of mental health and wellbeing. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15, 1307509. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1307509
Ermansons, G., Kienzler, H., Asif, Z., & Schofield, P. (2023). Refugee mental health and the role of place in the Global North countries: A scoping review. Health & Place, 79, 102964. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.102964
Evaluation of the My View therapeutic intervention delivered by the British Refugee Council, and evaluated by Ipsos MORI and the Centre for Evidence and Implementation (CEI)
Goodman, S., & Locke, A. (2024). Supporting and challenging hate in an online discussion of a controversial refugee policy. Discourse Studies. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614456231225448
Hodes, M. (2022). Editorial Perspective: Mental health of young asylum seekers and refugees in the context of COVID-19. Child Adolesc Ment Health, 27(2), 190-191. doi:10.1111/camh.12558
Hodes, M. (2022). Thinking about young refugees' mental health following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry, 13591045221125639. doi:10.1177/13591045221125639
Kienzler, H. (2024). Community integration, quality of life, thriving, and mental health among refugees and asylum seekers: A London-based service provider perspective. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1358250. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1358250
Marshall C. (2021) Social and Political Agendas: The Securitisation of Migration and Detention as a Spectacle. In: Bhugra D., Moussaoui D., Ventriglio A., Tribe R. (eds) Mental Health, Mental Illness and Migration. Mental Health and Illness Worldwide. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0750-7_40-1
Marshall C. (2021) The Psychological Impact of Residing in a Refugee Camp. In: Bhugra D., Moussaoui D., Ventriglio A., Tribe R. (eds) Mental Health, Mental Illness and Migration. Mental Health and Illness Worldwide. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0750-7_33-1
McDonough, S. & Colucci, E. (2019). People of immigrant and refugee background sharing experiences of mental health recovery: reflections and recommendations on using digital storytelling, Visual Communication 10(4): 527–540 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1470357218820651
Persaud, A., Valsraj, K., Gnanapragasam, S.,& Tribe, R. (2022) Time for hard choices – a new global order for mental health. International Journal of Social Psychiatry.
International Journal of Social Psychiatry, https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640221112538
Refugee Council. (2024). Rescue, recovery and reform: Towards and effective asylum system.
Rockowitz, S., Phillimore, J., Dorling, K., Hacker, K., & Katona, C., (2024). Asylum interviews in the UK: do they follow the Home Office’s interview guidelines? A pilot study. https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/documents/college-social-sciences/social-policy/iris/iris-asylum-interviews-september.pdf
Shankley, W., Stalford, H., Chase, E., Iusmen, I., & Kreppner, J. (2023). What Does it Mean to Adopt a Trauma-Informed Approach to Research?: Reflections on a Participatory Project With Young People Seeking Asylum in the UK. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 22, 16094069231183605. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231183605
Soye, E., Hilden, P. K., Andersen, A., & Watters, C. (2024). Recognising the newcomer: Education policy and teaching practices in Norway and England. Frontiers in Education, 8. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2023.1231633
Tribe, R. & Thompson, K. (2022) Working with Interpreters in Mental Health. International Review of Psychiatry http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2022.2073202
Tribe, R. & Farsimadan, F. (2022) Guidance for Clinicians when working with refugees and asylum seekers International Review of Psychiatry , 34,6 https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2022.2131377 .
Tribe, R. & Farsimadan, F. & Marshall, C. (2022). Editorial and introduction to Forced Migration & Mental Health. International review of Psychiatry https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2022.2137341 .
Tribe, R. & Charura, D. (October, 2023) Counselling Psychologists working in Human Rights & Social Justice. Clinical Psychology Forum, 369
Books & book chapters
Alhakim, J., Berdondini, L., & Marshall, C. (2021). Humanitarian intervention training programs. In D. Bhugra, D. Moussaoui, A. Ventriglio, & R. Tribe (Eds.), Mental health, mental illness and migration (pp. 1–15). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0750-7_32-1
Bhugra, D., Tribe, R., & Poulter, D. (2021). Migration and mental health. In D. Bhugra, D. Moussaoui, A. Ventriglio, & R. Tribe (Eds.), Mental health, mental illness and migration (pp. 3–13). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0750-7_1
Colucci, E. & Too, T. (2014). Culture, cultural meaning(s) and suicide among immigrants and refugees. In Heredia Montesinos, A., Van Bergen, D. & Schouler-Ocak, M., Suicide in the context of migration, 115–136, Gottingen, Germany: Hogrefe Publishing
Colucci, E. & McDonough, S. (2019). Recovering from mental illness and suicidal behaviour in a culturally diverse context: The use of digital storytelling in cross-cultural medical humanities and mental health, Chapter 13 in Lo, V, Berry, C. & Liping, G. (Eds) Film and the Chinese Medical Humanities, Routledge https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/recovering-mental-illness-suicidal-behaviour-culturally-diverse-context-erminia-colucci-susan-mcdonough/e/10.4324/9780429507465-18
Meloni, F. (2023) Ways of belonging. Rutgers University Press.
Moussaoui., D. Bhugra,, R. Tribe. & A. Ventriglio (2021) (eds) Migration, Mental Health and Mental Illness New York: Springer.
Tribe, R., & Thompson, K. (2021). Cultural competence and working with asylum seekers and refugees. In D. Bhugra, D. Moussaoui, A. Ventriglio, & R. Tribe (Eds.), Mental health, mental illness and migration (pp. 237–248). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0750-7_21
Editorials
Dikoff, B., Hassan, R., Shankar, R., Katona, C., Chaplin, L., Forrester, A., & Sen, P. (2023). Supporting people with immigration issues in the context of the Mental Health Act 1983 and Mental Capacity Act 2005. Medicine, science, and the law, 258024231171316. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/00258024231171316
Reports
FORCED ADULTHOOD: The Home Office’s incorrect determination of age and how this leaves child refugees at risk. (2024) Helen Bamber. https://www.helenbamber.org/resources/reportsbriefings/forced-adulthood-home-offices-incorrect-determination-age-and-how-leaves
Ghettoised and traumatised: The experiences of men held in quasi-detention in Wethersfield. (2023) Helen Bamber. https://www.helenbamber.org/resources/reportsbriefings/ghettoised-and-traumatised-experiences-men-held-quasi-detention
Special editions
Marshall, C. Farsimadan, F. & Tribe, R.(2023 ) Forced Migration: Psychosocial Services and Interventions including the Role of Education Displaced Voices. A journal of Archives. Migration and Cultural heritage. https://www.livingrefugeearchive.org/displaced-voices-volume-3-issue-1-spring-2023/
Tribe, R. Farsimadan, F. & Marshall, C. (2022) Forced Migration and Mental Health. International Review of Psychiatry. 34,6.
Activities

Lives on hold. Our stories told
The 'Lives on Hold. Our Stories Told' (LOHST) project has published a short research brief on the impacts of Covid-19 on the mental health and wellbeing of young people seeking asylum.

Dissociation and repression as coping mechanisms for Syrian refugees
A recording of a seminar exploring a recent paper by John Borneman, Professor of Anthropology, Princeton University. This was a joint event with the ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health.

The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Directory for Refugees and Migrants
Researchers at the ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health have published a new directory listing mental health and social support services for refugees and migrants in London and Greater London.

Finding our way
Stories of recovery from people with lived experience of mental ill-health from migrant and refugee background.

Café Scheherazade
Featuring photographs, stories and a documentary, Open for (more than) Business explores the unique role that local businesses play in Melbourne’s migrant and refugee communities, from an Indian grocery store in Clayton to an Italian barbershop in Brunswick and a Jewish cafe’ in St Kilda.

Suicide first aid guidelines
Low-cost scalable community-based suicide prevention initiatives: Suicide First Aid Guidelines Approach.

Working with Afghan Sanctuary Seekers: A guide for mental health professionals
Through cultural knowledge, this guide hopes to support health professionals in talking about and treating mental ill health in Afghan sanctuary seekers.

LOHST – Lives on Hold , Our Stories Told
This interdisciplinary research will provide the first detailed study of the legal and welfare effects of Covid-19 on asylum seeking children and young people in the UK.

Refugee Mental Health & Wellbeing Portal - University of East London
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Portal for Refugees & Asylum Seekers has been created to be utilised as a first stop resource to enable mental health and social care professionals, community organisations, statutory, international and national third sector organisations and refugees and asylum seekers themselves, to easily access the wealth of information, resources, and practical tools, many of which are not accessible in one place.

Guidelines for psychologists working with refugees and asylum seekers in the UK
This guideline is an important resource for directors, managers and practitioners of organisations working with refugees and migrants to provide services to this population, at home and abroad. This guidance will help everyone who is working with these vulnerable populations to access evidence-based psychology, which can help them to improve the lives of individuals and communities that have been affected by the ongoing crisis.

Refugee Law Project
As a community outreach project of the School of Law, Makerere University in Uganda, currently host to the third largest refugee population in the world, Refugee Law Project seeks to empower asylum seekers, refugees, deportees, IDPs and host communities to enjoy their human rights and lead dignified lives.

Social-Enterprise Groups for South Sudanese Refugee Survivors
The project supported refugee survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and torture, living in settlements in Northern Uganda, to establish and run social-enterprise groups.

Student Action for Refugees (STAR)
STAR (Student Action for Refugees) is the national network of students building a more understanding and just society where refugees are welcomed and can thrive in the UK. The student groups based in colleges and universities and a central team of experts, work together at a number of levels to bring about lasting change.

Refugee Education UK
Refugee Education UK are working towards a world where all refugee and asylum-seeking children and young people can access education, thrive in education, and use that education to create a hopeful, brighter future.

Network for Dialogue
The Network for Dialogue has published new policy briefs which were developed for and further discussed at the 3rd European Policy Dialogue Forum on Refugees and Migrants in Lisbon, Portugal, on 19-21 October 2021, organised by the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID), the Network for Dialogue and the European Council of Religious Leader/Religions for Peace Europe (ECRL/RfP), and supported by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Poetry by Sanctuary Seekers
This anthology brings together poems from people who have sought sanctuary in the UK, primarily Iranians and Afghans. The poems were created from interviews for a PhD on mental health during the asylum process.

Without Capacity - Mental Capacity as a Barrier to Justice in the Immigration System
The main purpose of this report is to shed light on issues with mental capacity that appear in every step of the immigration process, and to show that there is a much bigger gap in the current system than initially suspected. Issues of mental capacity are often missed, not just by the Home Office, but by judges, lawyers, advisers, caseworkers and support workers on the ground.

Refugee Studies MA at University of East London
An internationally recognised course that will give you a comprehensive understanding of the complex nature of global refugee movements, the processes which lie behind the search for protection and asylum and the diverse local, national and international responses to forced displacement.

Conflict, Displacement and Human Security MA at University of East London
This cutting-edge course specialises in giving students an advanced and comprehensive understanding of the relationship between conflict, displacement and human insecurity. It will help to develop the skills and understanding to prepare for employment in the fields of conflict management and resolution, humanitarian assistance and development, human rights and social justice.
News
Centre for Society Mental Health conference - five years of interdisciplinary research
The ESRC Centre for Society Mental Health showcased a range of research findings and insights at its conference on 1 October at the Science Gallery London.

Announcing Belongings, part of King's Culture's new programme of art and ideas
Susan Aldworth’s new exhibition explores how migration stories shape British identity, revealing the need for empathy and meaningful dialogue.

Meet: King's Sanctuary Programme team
We spoke with the members of King’s Sanctuary team to learn more about the valuable work they do in supporting refugees in Higher Education.

King's puts 'Compassion into Action' for Refugee Week 2023
This week (19-25 June) marks Refugee Week, for which the theme is ‘Compassion into Action’. As a university, King’s strives to ensure individuals affected by...

Events

BELONGINGS: Exhibition
Visit this new, free exhibition in The Arcade challenging anti-immigration narratives and creating pathways of belonging with people seeking sanctuary.
Please note: this event has passed.

BELONGINGS: Exhibition
Visit this new, free exhibition in The Arcade challenging anti-immigration narratives and creating pathways of belonging with people seeking sanctuary.
Please note: this event has passed.

Report launch: From Arrival to Integration: Building communities for refugees and for Britain
Join us for the regional launch of the Commission on the Integration of Refugees report From Arrival to Integration: Building communities for refugees and for...
Please note: this event has passed.

Report launch: From Arrival to Integration: Building communities for refugees and for Britain
Join us for the regional launch of the Commission on the Integration of Refugees report From Arrival to Integration: Building communities for refugees and for...
Please note: this event has passed.

BELONGINGS: Talk & Tour with artist Susan Aldworth
Join a talk and tour with artist Susan Aldworth to hear more about the BELONGINGS exhibition.
Please note: this event has passed.
Blog

Healing in the Face of Genocide: How to Respond to Needs of Palestinian Refugees?
Abdullah Aldiwan reflects on the urgent mental health needs of Palestinian refugees amid ongoing violence, exploring the limitations of conventional therapy in addressing trauma rooted in historical and systemic oppression.

How temporary housing harms mental health of refugees and asylum seekers
Farah Abdulrahman highlights current challenges and offers insights for improving support for refugees in host countries.

The importance of meaningful integration for the mental health of asylum seekers and refugees
A recent report by the Commission on the Integration of Refugees features findings from a study led by Professor Hanna Kienzler that calls for reform of the UK asylum system to support the mental health of refugees and asylum seekers.

Our journey from seeking asylum to Lived Experience Leadership
Ana Asatiani and Mishka Pillay share their journey, highlighting the crucial role people with lived experience can play in making positive changes in the UK asylum system.

Understanding the role of place in refugee mental health to inform policy
Guntars Ermansons and Hanna Kienzler discuss their research in this area which aims to unpick the different factors around place and mental health and how this must be considered in policy and decision-making if we are truly going to offer sanctuary in times of upheaval.

Making place in refugee health research: an Australian perspective
A group of Sydney-based researchers explore the relationship between place and health and wellbeing among recently resettled refugees in high-income countries such as Australia and the UK.

Letters of refuge
Dr. James Corke-Webster reflects on his recent co-led expedition on the experiences of those with lived experience of displacement and persecution.

Refugee wellbeing and precarious placemaking in hotels
Dr. Amy Clarke (Research Fellow at the Centre for Hate Studies, University of Leicester) reflects on leading an interdisciplinary team of academics working with Afghan refugees living in a hotel in central Leicester, and the staff and volunteers involved in the Bright Path Futures (BPF) programme.

A sip from Syria: refugee integration and search for completeness
In this blog, Clinical Psychologist Mujahid Asmal-Lee reflects on the psychological distress experienced by refugees in their journeys to seek sanctuary.

Refugee mental health: understanding place, politics and migration
Here in the UK, refugees and migrants face challenging conditions upon arrival – fuelled by anti-immigration policies and structural violence in the form of racism, discrimination and marginalisation, all of which lead to worse health and mental health outcomes. In this blog, the team reflect on our 2022 Refugee Mental Health & Place Network conference, which sought to explore these challenges and help create an opportunity to support these communities.

The Border Follows Me
A border isn't simply a physical barrier but also a legal and social one that follows people around. Morteza draws on his lived experience seeking asylum in the UK to explain more. While Sohail, a migration and mental health academic, explains some of the theory behind it.

Refugee Mental Health and The Role of Place
Mental health remains a pressing issue for displaced people. Recent scholarship has unequivocally recognised the importance of pre- and post-migration factors, including flight and resettlement, for people's mental health and wellbeing. Yet, increasingly hostile treatment of asylum seekers is but one sign that the post-migration context does not guarantee the peace of mind and safety associated with refuge.

Why refugee-focused charities need the help of academia
In this blog, CEO of New Citizens’ Gateway Dr Nazee Akbari explores how academic can support the work of charities working with refugee communities,
Publications
Articles
Abi Chahine, M., Kienzler, H. Ageism, an invisible social determinant of health for older Syrian refugees in Lebanon: a service providers’ perspective. Confl Health 16, 62 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-022-00491-9
Adigwe, G. A., Alloh, F., Tribe, R., Smith, P., & Regimi, P. (2024). Assessment of health-related quality of life of stroke survivors in Southeast communities in Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(9), 1116. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21091116
Adigwe, G. A., Tribe, R., Alloh, F., & Smith, P. (2022). Impact of stroke on the quality of life (QOL) of stroke survivors in the Southeast (SE) communities of Nigeria: A qualitative study. Disabilities. https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7272/2/3/36/pdf
Aktar, S., & Tribe, R. (2024a). The experience of self-harming behaviours that inflict external injuries to the body in UK-based Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani women: A literature review. International Review of Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2024.2306620
Aktar, S., & Tribe, R. (2024b). Perceived powerlessness and self-harming behaviours that inflict external injuries to the body in UK-based Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani females. International Review of Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2024.2306638
Aktar, S., & Tribe, R. (2024c). “Self-harm is wrong”: The experience of self-harming behaviours that inflict external injuries to the body in UK-based Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani women: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. International Review of Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2024.2306615
Alhakim, J., Berdondini, L., & Marshall, C. (2021). Humanitarian intervention training programs. In D. Bhugra, D. Moussaoui, A. Ventriglio, & R. Tribe (Eds.), Mental health, mental illness and migration (pp. 1–15). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0750-7_32-1
Asif, Z., & Kienzler, H. (2022). Structural barriers to refugee, asylum seeker and undocumented migrant healthcare access. Perceptions of Doctors of the World caseworkers in the UK. SSM-Mental Health, 2, 100088. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2022.100088
Ballo, E., & Tribe, R. (2023). Therapeutic work with clients living in poverty. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640221139798
Bhugra, D., Tribe, R., & Poulter, D. (2022). Social justice, health equity and mental health. South African Journal of Psychology, 52(1), 3–10. https://doi.org/10.1177/00812463211070921
Bulik, K. & Colucci, E. (2019). Refugees, resettlement experiences and mental health: a systematic review of case studies, Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria, 68(2): 121-32 http://www.scielo.br/pdf/jbpsiq/v68n2/1982-0208-jbpsiq-68-02-0121.pdf
Colucci, E., Jaroudy, S. & Rossmann, M. (2022) Piloting of a Suicide First Aid Gatekeeper Training (online) for children and young people in conflict affected areas in Syria, International Review of Psychiatry, Sept https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2022.2100245
Colucci, E., Jaroudy, S., & Rossmann, M. (2022). Piloting of a suicide first aid gatekeeper training (online) for children and young people in conflict affected areas in Syria. International Review of Psychiatry, 1-9. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09540261.2022.2100245 Guidelines are freely available via links in the paper.
Colucci, E., Szwarc, J., Minas, H., Paxton, J. and Guerra, C. (2014). The utilisation of mental health services among children and young people from a refugee background: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 7(1), 86-108
Colucci, E., Minas, H., Szwarc, J., Paxton, J. and Guerra, C. (2015). Barriers and facilitators to the utilization of mental health services among young people of refugee backgrounds. Transcultural Psychiatry, 52(6), 766-790
Colucci, E., Valibhoy, M., Szwarc, J. Kaplan. I. & Minas, H. (2017). Improving access to and engagement with mental health services among young people from refugee backgrounds: Service user and provider perspectives, International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 10(2), 185-196
Colucci, E., Too, T. & Minas, H. (2017). A suicide research agenda for people from immigrant and refugee backgrounds. Death Studies, Vol 41(8), Special Issueon Critical Suicidology http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07481187.2017.1332912?scroll=top&needAccess=true
Colucci E. et al., (2018). Suicide first aid guidelines for assisting persons from immigrant or refugee background: a Delphi study. Advances in Mental Health, 16(2), 105-116 https://doi.org/10.1080/18387357.2018.1469383
Dung, E. J., Ike, T .J.E. , Tribe, R., Tunariu, A.D., Rohleder, P. & Mackenzie, A. (2022) Berom cultural beliefs and attitudes towards mental health problems in Nigeria: a mixed-methods study, Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 24,5, DOI: 10.1080/13674676.2021.2019205
El Baba, R. & Colucci, E. (2017). Post-traumatic stress disorders, depression, and anxiety in unaccompanied refugee minors exposed to war-related trauma: a systematic review, International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 11(2), 194-207 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17542863.2017.1355929
Ermansons, G. (2024). UK khat prohibition and the making of a harmful drug. Medicine Anthropology Theory, 11(3), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.17157/mat.11.3.7292
Ermansons, G., Kienzler, H., & Schofield, P. (2024). Somali refugees in urban neighborhoods: An eco-social study of mental health and wellbeing. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15, 1307509. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1307509
Ermansons, G., Kienzler, H., Asif, Z., & Schofield, P. (2023). Refugee mental health and the role of place in the Global North countries: A scoping review. Health & Place, 79, 102964. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.102964
Evaluation of the My View therapeutic intervention delivered by the British Refugee Council, and evaluated by Ipsos MORI and the Centre for Evidence and Implementation (CEI)
Goodman, S., & Locke, A. (2024). Supporting and challenging hate in an online discussion of a controversial refugee policy. Discourse Studies. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614456231225448
Hodes, M. (2022). Editorial Perspective: Mental health of young asylum seekers and refugees in the context of COVID-19. Child Adolesc Ment Health, 27(2), 190-191. doi:10.1111/camh.12558
Hodes, M. (2022). Thinking about young refugees' mental health following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry, 13591045221125639. doi:10.1177/13591045221125639
Kienzler, H. (2024). Community integration, quality of life, thriving, and mental health among refugees and asylum seekers: A London-based service provider perspective. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1358250. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1358250
Marshall C. (2021) Social and Political Agendas: The Securitisation of Migration and Detention as a Spectacle. In: Bhugra D., Moussaoui D., Ventriglio A., Tribe R. (eds) Mental Health, Mental Illness and Migration. Mental Health and Illness Worldwide. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0750-7_40-1
Marshall C. (2021) The Psychological Impact of Residing in a Refugee Camp. In: Bhugra D., Moussaoui D., Ventriglio A., Tribe R. (eds) Mental Health, Mental Illness and Migration. Mental Health and Illness Worldwide. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0750-7_33-1
McDonough, S. & Colucci, E. (2019). People of immigrant and refugee background sharing experiences of mental health recovery: reflections and recommendations on using digital storytelling, Visual Communication 10(4): 527–540 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1470357218820651
Persaud, A., Valsraj, K., Gnanapragasam, S.,& Tribe, R. (2022) Time for hard choices – a new global order for mental health. International Journal of Social Psychiatry.
International Journal of Social Psychiatry, https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640221112538
Refugee Council. (2024). Rescue, recovery and reform: Towards and effective asylum system.
Rockowitz, S., Phillimore, J., Dorling, K., Hacker, K., & Katona, C., (2024). Asylum interviews in the UK: do they follow the Home Office’s interview guidelines? A pilot study. https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/documents/college-social-sciences/social-policy/iris/iris-asylum-interviews-september.pdf
Shankley, W., Stalford, H., Chase, E., Iusmen, I., & Kreppner, J. (2023). What Does it Mean to Adopt a Trauma-Informed Approach to Research?: Reflections on a Participatory Project With Young People Seeking Asylum in the UK. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 22, 16094069231183605. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231183605
Soye, E., Hilden, P. K., Andersen, A., & Watters, C. (2024). Recognising the newcomer: Education policy and teaching practices in Norway and England. Frontiers in Education, 8. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2023.1231633
Tribe, R. & Thompson, K. (2022) Working with Interpreters in Mental Health. International Review of Psychiatry http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2022.2073202
Tribe, R. & Farsimadan, F. (2022) Guidance for Clinicians when working with refugees and asylum seekers International Review of Psychiatry , 34,6 https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2022.2131377 .
Tribe, R. & Farsimadan, F. & Marshall, C. (2022). Editorial and introduction to Forced Migration & Mental Health. International review of Psychiatry https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2022.2137341 .
Tribe, R. & Charura, D. (October, 2023) Counselling Psychologists working in Human Rights & Social Justice. Clinical Psychology Forum, 369
Books & book chapters
Alhakim, J., Berdondini, L., & Marshall, C. (2021). Humanitarian intervention training programs. In D. Bhugra, D. Moussaoui, A. Ventriglio, & R. Tribe (Eds.), Mental health, mental illness and migration (pp. 1–15). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0750-7_32-1
Bhugra, D., Tribe, R., & Poulter, D. (2021). Migration and mental health. In D. Bhugra, D. Moussaoui, A. Ventriglio, & R. Tribe (Eds.), Mental health, mental illness and migration (pp. 3–13). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0750-7_1
Colucci, E. & Too, T. (2014). Culture, cultural meaning(s) and suicide among immigrants and refugees. In Heredia Montesinos, A., Van Bergen, D. & Schouler-Ocak, M., Suicide in the context of migration, 115–136, Gottingen, Germany: Hogrefe Publishing
Colucci, E. & McDonough, S. (2019). Recovering from mental illness and suicidal behaviour in a culturally diverse context: The use of digital storytelling in cross-cultural medical humanities and mental health, Chapter 13 in Lo, V, Berry, C. & Liping, G. (Eds) Film and the Chinese Medical Humanities, Routledge https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/recovering-mental-illness-suicidal-behaviour-culturally-diverse-context-erminia-colucci-susan-mcdonough/e/10.4324/9780429507465-18
Meloni, F. (2023) Ways of belonging. Rutgers University Press.
Moussaoui., D. Bhugra,, R. Tribe. & A. Ventriglio (2021) (eds) Migration, Mental Health and Mental Illness New York: Springer.
Tribe, R., & Thompson, K. (2021). Cultural competence and working with asylum seekers and refugees. In D. Bhugra, D. Moussaoui, A. Ventriglio, & R. Tribe (Eds.), Mental health, mental illness and migration (pp. 237–248). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0750-7_21
Editorials
Dikoff, B., Hassan, R., Shankar, R., Katona, C., Chaplin, L., Forrester, A., & Sen, P. (2023). Supporting people with immigration issues in the context of the Mental Health Act 1983 and Mental Capacity Act 2005. Medicine, science, and the law, 258024231171316. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/00258024231171316
Reports
FORCED ADULTHOOD: The Home Office’s incorrect determination of age and how this leaves child refugees at risk. (2024) Helen Bamber. https://www.helenbamber.org/resources/reportsbriefings/forced-adulthood-home-offices-incorrect-determination-age-and-how-leaves
Ghettoised and traumatised: The experiences of men held in quasi-detention in Wethersfield. (2023) Helen Bamber. https://www.helenbamber.org/resources/reportsbriefings/ghettoised-and-traumatised-experiences-men-held-quasi-detention
Special editions
Marshall, C. Farsimadan, F. & Tribe, R.(2023 ) Forced Migration: Psychosocial Services and Interventions including the Role of Education Displaced Voices. A journal of Archives. Migration and Cultural heritage. https://www.livingrefugeearchive.org/displaced-voices-volume-3-issue-1-spring-2023/
Tribe, R. Farsimadan, F. & Marshall, C. (2022) Forced Migration and Mental Health. International Review of Psychiatry. 34,6.
Activities

Lives on hold. Our stories told
The 'Lives on Hold. Our Stories Told' (LOHST) project has published a short research brief on the impacts of Covid-19 on the mental health and wellbeing of young people seeking asylum.

Dissociation and repression as coping mechanisms for Syrian refugees
A recording of a seminar exploring a recent paper by John Borneman, Professor of Anthropology, Princeton University. This was a joint event with the ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health.

The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Directory for Refugees and Migrants
Researchers at the ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health have published a new directory listing mental health and social support services for refugees and migrants in London and Greater London.

Finding our way
Stories of recovery from people with lived experience of mental ill-health from migrant and refugee background.

Café Scheherazade
Featuring photographs, stories and a documentary, Open for (more than) Business explores the unique role that local businesses play in Melbourne’s migrant and refugee communities, from an Indian grocery store in Clayton to an Italian barbershop in Brunswick and a Jewish cafe’ in St Kilda.

Suicide first aid guidelines
Low-cost scalable community-based suicide prevention initiatives: Suicide First Aid Guidelines Approach.

Working with Afghan Sanctuary Seekers: A guide for mental health professionals
Through cultural knowledge, this guide hopes to support health professionals in talking about and treating mental ill health in Afghan sanctuary seekers.

LOHST – Lives on Hold , Our Stories Told
This interdisciplinary research will provide the first detailed study of the legal and welfare effects of Covid-19 on asylum seeking children and young people in the UK.

Refugee Mental Health & Wellbeing Portal - University of East London
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Portal for Refugees & Asylum Seekers has been created to be utilised as a first stop resource to enable mental health and social care professionals, community organisations, statutory, international and national third sector organisations and refugees and asylum seekers themselves, to easily access the wealth of information, resources, and practical tools, many of which are not accessible in one place.

Guidelines for psychologists working with refugees and asylum seekers in the UK
This guideline is an important resource for directors, managers and practitioners of organisations working with refugees and migrants to provide services to this population, at home and abroad. This guidance will help everyone who is working with these vulnerable populations to access evidence-based psychology, which can help them to improve the lives of individuals and communities that have been affected by the ongoing crisis.

Refugee Law Project
As a community outreach project of the School of Law, Makerere University in Uganda, currently host to the third largest refugee population in the world, Refugee Law Project seeks to empower asylum seekers, refugees, deportees, IDPs and host communities to enjoy their human rights and lead dignified lives.

Social-Enterprise Groups for South Sudanese Refugee Survivors
The project supported refugee survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and torture, living in settlements in Northern Uganda, to establish and run social-enterprise groups.

Student Action for Refugees (STAR)
STAR (Student Action for Refugees) is the national network of students building a more understanding and just society where refugees are welcomed and can thrive in the UK. The student groups based in colleges and universities and a central team of experts, work together at a number of levels to bring about lasting change.

Refugee Education UK
Refugee Education UK are working towards a world where all refugee and asylum-seeking children and young people can access education, thrive in education, and use that education to create a hopeful, brighter future.

Network for Dialogue
The Network for Dialogue has published new policy briefs which were developed for and further discussed at the 3rd European Policy Dialogue Forum on Refugees and Migrants in Lisbon, Portugal, on 19-21 October 2021, organised by the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID), the Network for Dialogue and the European Council of Religious Leader/Religions for Peace Europe (ECRL/RfP), and supported by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Poetry by Sanctuary Seekers
This anthology brings together poems from people who have sought sanctuary in the UK, primarily Iranians and Afghans. The poems were created from interviews for a PhD on mental health during the asylum process.

Without Capacity - Mental Capacity as a Barrier to Justice in the Immigration System
The main purpose of this report is to shed light on issues with mental capacity that appear in every step of the immigration process, and to show that there is a much bigger gap in the current system than initially suspected. Issues of mental capacity are often missed, not just by the Home Office, but by judges, lawyers, advisers, caseworkers and support workers on the ground.

Refugee Studies MA at University of East London
An internationally recognised course that will give you a comprehensive understanding of the complex nature of global refugee movements, the processes which lie behind the search for protection and asylum and the diverse local, national and international responses to forced displacement.

Conflict, Displacement and Human Security MA at University of East London
This cutting-edge course specialises in giving students an advanced and comprehensive understanding of the relationship between conflict, displacement and human insecurity. It will help to develop the skills and understanding to prepare for employment in the fields of conflict management and resolution, humanitarian assistance and development, human rights and social justice.
News
Centre for Society Mental Health conference - five years of interdisciplinary research
The ESRC Centre for Society Mental Health showcased a range of research findings and insights at its conference on 1 October at the Science Gallery London.

Announcing Belongings, part of King's Culture's new programme of art and ideas
Susan Aldworth’s new exhibition explores how migration stories shape British identity, revealing the need for empathy and meaningful dialogue.

Meet: King's Sanctuary Programme team
We spoke with the members of King’s Sanctuary team to learn more about the valuable work they do in supporting refugees in Higher Education.

King's puts 'Compassion into Action' for Refugee Week 2023
This week (19-25 June) marks Refugee Week, for which the theme is ‘Compassion into Action’. As a university, King’s strives to ensure individuals affected by...

Events

BELONGINGS: Exhibition
Visit this new, free exhibition in The Arcade challenging anti-immigration narratives and creating pathways of belonging with people seeking sanctuary.
Please note: this event has passed.

BELONGINGS: Exhibition
Visit this new, free exhibition in The Arcade challenging anti-immigration narratives and creating pathways of belonging with people seeking sanctuary.
Please note: this event has passed.

Report launch: From Arrival to Integration: Building communities for refugees and for Britain
Join us for the regional launch of the Commission on the Integration of Refugees report From Arrival to Integration: Building communities for refugees and for...
Please note: this event has passed.

Report launch: From Arrival to Integration: Building communities for refugees and for Britain
Join us for the regional launch of the Commission on the Integration of Refugees report From Arrival to Integration: Building communities for refugees and for...
Please note: this event has passed.

BELONGINGS: Talk & Tour with artist Susan Aldworth
Join a talk and tour with artist Susan Aldworth to hear more about the BELONGINGS exhibition.
Please note: this event has passed.
Blog

Healing in the Face of Genocide: How to Respond to Needs of Palestinian Refugees?
Abdullah Aldiwan reflects on the urgent mental health needs of Palestinian refugees amid ongoing violence, exploring the limitations of conventional therapy in addressing trauma rooted in historical and systemic oppression.

How temporary housing harms mental health of refugees and asylum seekers
Farah Abdulrahman highlights current challenges and offers insights for improving support for refugees in host countries.

The importance of meaningful integration for the mental health of asylum seekers and refugees
A recent report by the Commission on the Integration of Refugees features findings from a study led by Professor Hanna Kienzler that calls for reform of the UK asylum system to support the mental health of refugees and asylum seekers.

Our journey from seeking asylum to Lived Experience Leadership
Ana Asatiani and Mishka Pillay share their journey, highlighting the crucial role people with lived experience can play in making positive changes in the UK asylum system.

Understanding the role of place in refugee mental health to inform policy
Guntars Ermansons and Hanna Kienzler discuss their research in this area which aims to unpick the different factors around place and mental health and how this must be considered in policy and decision-making if we are truly going to offer sanctuary in times of upheaval.

Making place in refugee health research: an Australian perspective
A group of Sydney-based researchers explore the relationship between place and health and wellbeing among recently resettled refugees in high-income countries such as Australia and the UK.

Letters of refuge
Dr. James Corke-Webster reflects on his recent co-led expedition on the experiences of those with lived experience of displacement and persecution.

Refugee wellbeing and precarious placemaking in hotels
Dr. Amy Clarke (Research Fellow at the Centre for Hate Studies, University of Leicester) reflects on leading an interdisciplinary team of academics working with Afghan refugees living in a hotel in central Leicester, and the staff and volunteers involved in the Bright Path Futures (BPF) programme.

A sip from Syria: refugee integration and search for completeness
In this blog, Clinical Psychologist Mujahid Asmal-Lee reflects on the psychological distress experienced by refugees in their journeys to seek sanctuary.

Refugee mental health: understanding place, politics and migration
Here in the UK, refugees and migrants face challenging conditions upon arrival – fuelled by anti-immigration policies and structural violence in the form of racism, discrimination and marginalisation, all of which lead to worse health and mental health outcomes. In this blog, the team reflect on our 2022 Refugee Mental Health & Place Network conference, which sought to explore these challenges and help create an opportunity to support these communities.

The Border Follows Me
A border isn't simply a physical barrier but also a legal and social one that follows people around. Morteza draws on his lived experience seeking asylum in the UK to explain more. While Sohail, a migration and mental health academic, explains some of the theory behind it.

Refugee Mental Health and The Role of Place
Mental health remains a pressing issue for displaced people. Recent scholarship has unequivocally recognised the importance of pre- and post-migration factors, including flight and resettlement, for people's mental health and wellbeing. Yet, increasingly hostile treatment of asylum seekers is but one sign that the post-migration context does not guarantee the peace of mind and safety associated with refuge.

Why refugee-focused charities need the help of academia
In this blog, CEO of New Citizens’ Gateway Dr Nazee Akbari explores how academic can support the work of charities working with refugee communities,
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