Trauma and acculturation: Psychosocial factors influencing mental health of Bosnian refugees resettled in Australia and Austria

This thesis investigated how war-related traumatic experiences and stress associated with migration and adaptation to a new country of resettlement influenced the mental health of Bosnian refugees living in Australia and Austria. The findings suggested that everyday demands and stress associated with migration and adaptation to a new resettlement country, markedly influenced refugees’ ability to integrate and effectively negotiate culturally appropriate behaviours, acquire the host language necessary to function and develop a sense of belonging and identification with the host culture. These stressors collectively and negatively influenced refugees’ mental health, beyond the influence of traumas experienced prior to migration.