Post-migration stressors and help-seeking among Afghan refugee youth

Afghan refugee youth who arrived in Canada following the withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan in August 2021 may experience a range of post-migration stressors that affect their well-being and access to support systems. The current study explored post-migration stressors and help-seeking among Afghan refugee youth. Focus group discussions were conducted with thirteen Afghan youth (10 women and three men) aged 18-24 (Mage = 21.31, SDage = 2.25) who arrived in Canada after the 2021 displacement. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants identified current post-migration stressors including interpersonal struggles such as isolation and parentification/adultification. They also discussed systemic barriers such as socioeconomic challenges and Islamophobia. Participants reported seeking help from informal sources of support such as self-coping, community support networks, and religious and cultural practices over formal sources of support such as resettlement organizations and school guidance counsellors. Factors that hindered participants’ help-seeking were collective community stress, language barriers, government defunding of formal supports, and perceptions and previous experiences with mental health professionals. These findings highlight the importance of accessible, culturally responsive, and relationship-focused support, and draw attention to systemic barriers perpetuated by changing federal policies.