Citation

De Haene L, Grietens H, Verschueren K. Attach. Hum. Dev. 2010; 12(3): 249-264.

Affiliation

Centre for School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. lucia.dehaene@psy.kuleuven.be

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/14616731003759732

PMID

20473796

Abstract

Starting from an outline of the refugee experience as a process of cumulative traumatisation, we review research literature on mental health outcomes in refugees. Next, an integration of findings on relational processes in refugee families documents the role of the family unit as a key interactive context patterning the impact of sequential traumatisation. Relating these trauma- and migration-specific family processes to their central dimension of provision or disruption of emotional availability in a context of chronic adversity, we aim to explore the development of unresolved and insecure parental states of mind regarding attachment during forced migration. Starting the research report, a method discussion on the administration of 11 Adult Attachment Interviews with adult refugees as part of an explorative multiple case study integrates deontological and technical reflections on the use of the Adult Attachment Interview in a context of ongoing traumatisation. The paper then presents findings on adult attachment in refugees and highlights representational processes involved in the potential disruption of caregiver availability during refugee traumatisation.

Language: en