Being hopeful: exploring the dynamics of posttraumatic growth and hope in refugees

Umer, M. and Elliot, D. L. (2021) Being hopeful: exploring the dynamics of posttraumatic growth and hope in refugees. Journal of Refugee Studies, 34(1), pp. 953-975. (doi: 10.1093/jrs/fez002)

Abstract

With more than 60 million people across the world displaced from their homes, the refugee crisis has been in the political limelight and prominent in academic conversations. This research probed beyond refugees’ distressed psychological wellbeing by exploring contributory factors to refugees’ effective resettlement during the post-migration phase. Adopting a psychological lens, the paper critically considers Charles Snyder’s theoretical framework on ‘hope’ and its tenets, i.e. ‘Goals’, ‘Pathways’, ‘Agency’, ‘Barriers’ and ‘Thoughts & Feelings’ by employing it freshly in a new context and extending the framework in the light of refugees’ successful adaptation and integration into society. With a focus on the salutogenic rather than the pathological effects of trauma, this mixed methods research has elucidated the distinct role of hope as a ‘protective factor’ in refugees’ plight and transition. Finally, the research findings endorse the value of developing a hopeful disposition as key to refugees’ acculturation, empowerment and post-traumatic growth.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Elliot, Dr Dely
• Authors: Umer, M., and Elliot, D. L.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Creativity Culture and Faith; College of Social Sciences > School of Education > People, Place & Social Change
• Journal Name: Journal of Refugee Studies
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• ISSN: 0951-6328
• ISSN (Online): 1471-6925
• Published Online: 28 February 2019
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2019 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Journal of Refugee Studies 34(1): 953-975
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher