Psychological vulnerability of unaccompanied refugee minors: a controlled cohort study using Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

ABSTRACT

In recent years, the prevalence of Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URMs) in Europe has increased and not much research has been carried out in the area of quantifying the psychological problems facing such minors. The aim of this study is to assess whether URMs have more emotional and behavioral difficulties than Italian children and if there were any significant differences in psychological problems comparing URMs who come from different countries. The URM group, composed of 98 males aged 11–17 years, was compared with 103 Italian adolescents aged 12–17 years. Psychological vulnerabilities were assessed using Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. What we found with our research is that URMs would seem to be much more pro-social than Italian boys, although they would seem to have more problems with peers and in managing their emotions. This high pro-sociality could be useful for the purposes of support and prevention of possible future psychological problems. Furthermore, Italian children scored higher in behavioural problems subscale than URMs, suggesting a probable relationship between low prosociality and high behavioural problems.

KEYWORDS:

• URMs
• self-report SDQ
• psychological vulnerabilities
• immigrant children

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

G. Natalucci

G. Natalucci is a psychologist specialized on children psychopathology and migration and a PhD student.

N. Faedda

N. Faedda has a PhD in behavioural neuroscience and she is specialized on children psychopathology.

Alunni Fegatelli D.

Alunni Fegatelli D. has a PhD in Methodological Statistics.

U. Nanni

U. Nanni is a Professor at the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering.

A. Vestri

A. Vestri is a Professor at the Department of Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases.

L. S. Norton

L. S. Norton has a PhD in Social Psychology curriculum Psychology of interaction, communication and socialization.

V. Guidetti

V. Guidetti (MD) is a Professor at the Department of Human Neuroscience and he is a child neuropsychiatrist.