TY - JOUR
T1 - “They Stand in the Middle Now”
T2 - Pathways to Meeting Psychological Needs by Adolescents who are Refugees From Sub-Saharan Africa
AU - Rial, Katherine
AU - Woodford, Jessica
AU - Laywell, Alexander
AU - Merrell, Chaundra
AU - Abbe, Marisa
AU - Awosogba, Olufunke
AU - Musekura, Bernadette
AU - Kalondji, Josephine
AU - Stewart, Sunita
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021. American Psychological Association
PY - 2021/11/29
Y1 - 2021/11/29
N2 - Objectives: This study explored the psychological needs of refugee youth from sub-Saharan Africa resettled in a large city in Southwest United States. We utilized the framework of Basic Psychological Needs Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000) which proposes that competence, relatedness, and autonomy are universal psychological needs. We examined the challenges to meeting these needs and resolutions to these challenges. Integral to understanding these needs was to place them in the context of a bicultural model of adaptation. Of particular interest was discovering how these young people negotiate and reconcile home and host cultural demands while meeting needs. Method: From July 2019 to August 2020, semistructured individual interviews (N = 44) were completed with youth, parents, and cultural experts. Data were analyzed using a hybrid inductive and deductive approach and thematic content analysis. Results: Active engagement, assertion, and self-advocacy were delineated as important pathways to achieve competence. Relatedness needs were served by inclusive ties, and frequently included other “outsiders.” Autonomy came from selfsufficiency, agency, and “voice.” Altruism was common, extending beyond ethnic community, and promoted competence, relatedness, and empowerment. Conflicts between family and host culture were managed by accepting parental authority. Parents contributed to integrating home and host cultures by flexibly interpreting traditional rules. Conclusions: Our findings illustrate the strengths of these youth who manage tremendous challenges to meeting their psychological needs. We highlight how in the process of cultural adaptation they retain ties to their home culture. They choose diversity in their relationships and find agency and purpose by supporting others.
AB - Objectives: This study explored the psychological needs of refugee youth from sub-Saharan Africa resettled in a large city in Southwest United States. We utilized the framework of Basic Psychological Needs Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000) which proposes that competence, relatedness, and autonomy are universal psychological needs. We examined the challenges to meeting these needs and resolutions to these challenges. Integral to understanding these needs was to place them in the context of a bicultural model of adaptation. Of particular interest was discovering how these young people negotiate and reconcile home and host cultural demands while meeting needs. Method: From July 2019 to August 2020, semistructured individual interviews (N = 44) were completed with youth, parents, and cultural experts. Data were analyzed using a hybrid inductive and deductive approach and thematic content analysis. Results: Active engagement, assertion, and self-advocacy were delineated as important pathways to achieve competence. Relatedness needs were served by inclusive ties, and frequently included other “outsiders.” Autonomy came from selfsufficiency, agency, and “voice.” Altruism was common, extending beyond ethnic community, and promoted competence, relatedness, and empowerment. Conflicts between family and host culture were managed by accepting parental authority. Parents contributed to integrating home and host cultures by flexibly interpreting traditional rules. Conclusions: Our findings illustrate the strengths of these youth who manage tremendous challenges to meeting their psychological needs. We highlight how in the process of cultural adaptation they retain ties to their home culture. They choose diversity in their relationships and find agency and purpose by supporting others.
KW - Adolescent
KW - Basic psychological needs theory
KW - Cultural adaptation
KW - Refugee
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85128000638&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85128000638&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/cdp0000510
DO - 10.1037/cdp0000510
M3 - Article
C2 - 34843296
AN - SCOPUS:85128000638
SN - 1099-9809
VL - 28
SP - 271
EP - 279
JO - Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology
JF - Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology
IS - 2
ER -