Although the impact of human rights violations on the mental health of refugees has been well documented, little is known about these effects at a family level. In this study the authors examined the relationships among loss, trauma, and mental health at the individual and family levels in resettled Mandaean refugees (N = 315). Trauma, loss, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, complicated grief, and mental health-related quality of life were assessed. A multilevel path analysis revealed that loss and trauma significantly impacted on psychological outcomes at both the individual and family levels. Effect sizes ranged from .21 to .68 at the individual level, and .38 to .99 at the family level, highlighting the importance of the family when considering the psychological impact of refugee-related trauma.

Copyright © 2011 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.