1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«Although there is a broad literature on sponsored refugees, little research has been devoted to the unique situation of refugee claimants in Canada. […] To our knowledge, no previous studies have compared how children and adult refugee claimants within the same families experience and perceive the relocation process. Because of differences in social roles and developmental issues, children’s experience of this process may diverge from the adult experience. The various pre- and post-migratory factors they encounter may be of differing importance for them. Family dynamics mean, however, that the adults’ experience may be transmitted to their children in different ways. These divergent migration experiences and internal family transmission have not yet been studied. This present study attempts to meet this gap in knowledge.» (p. 4)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
The sample of this study is composed of «[...] 75 refugee claimants including 36 children and 39 adults from 33 families, attending a paediatric hospital in Montreal, Canada.» (p. 4)

Instruments :
Guide d’entretien semi-directif

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse de contenu

3. Résumé

«The responses of the participants in this study suggest that children and adult refugee claimants may undergo migration and resettlement differently, largely because of divergent experiences with regards to social networks. Parents in this study are more likely to actively maintain social networks in their countries of origin and experience multiple barriers to rebuilding social networks. In contrast, their children, particularly the younger ones, more easily form new social networks and display remarkable resilience. Ultimately, however, the well-being of family members is highly interconnected. Changes should be made to the existing policies and services to facilitate the relocation process for entire families.» (p. 19)