PhD Candidate Dixie Janice Brea Larios to defend her Thesis

Understanding mental health in a cultural context can contribute to effective health services for people who need them. By surveying individual perceptions of mental health problems among refugees, one can improve the offer of mental health care, as well as build up trusting relationships that can improve the integration process for these groups. The thesis has aimed to understand the knowledge about mental disorders from certain populations of refugees living in Norway, especially from Afghanistan and Syria, and to identify their perceptions of mental health problems such as depression and PTSD, and their ways of dealing with symptoms and seeking treatment.

The results from the qualitative study indicated that there are gender and generational differences in the handling of depression and PTSD, and preference for treatment. The quantitative study indicated that depression contributes to psychological integration aspects and ways of coping. Having a sense of belonging, being part of a community, and feeling safe were important psychological aspects for integration that benefited refugees' well-being and mental health, and reduced anxiety in Norway. Coping styles with a focus on the emotional and avoidance were also an active way of coping with depression, as well as helping to create self-control and solving challenges that helped with adaptation and the feeling of more connection to Norway.

The thesis contributes to highlighting the importance of research into perceptions of mental health problems among different refugee groups. In order to ensure better identification of mental health problems and treatment, one must understand the nuances and cultural contexts of each individual mental health experience.

Personnel

Dixie Brea Larios (b.1976) has a master's in public health science (2012) from UiT Norway's Arctic University. In addition, she is a dentist (2003) from the Dominican Republic. The doctorate was completed at the Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, UiB and in connection with the research project CENC in the research group SAW (UiB). The main supervisors were professors Gro Mjeldheim Sandal and David Sam Lackland, UiB, and assistant supervisors were researcher I Eugene Guribye, NORCE Kristiansand, professor Lise Øen Jones and professor Vebjørn Ekroll, UiB.