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Academic Achievement and Psychosocial Adjustment in Child Refugees: A Systematic Review
Author(s) -
Aghajafari Fariba,
Pianorosa Emilie,
Premji Zahra,
Souri Soheil,
Dewey Deborah
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.22582
Subject(s) - psychosocial , refugee , psychology , population , academic achievement , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , medicine , psychiatry , environmental health , political science , law
Child refugees are at high risk for problems with academic achievement and psychosocial well‐being. We aimed to review the literature concerning these outcomes in primary school–aged child refugees. This study was a systematic review and included studies that reported on outcomes of interest in child refugees between 5 and 12 years of age. Our search generated 3,172 articles; we selected 313 for review and included 45. Child refugees are diverse in their educational performance, and early deficits often resolve with time spent in the host country. These children are at an increased risk of emotional and behavioral difficulties, and multiple factors are associated with these outcomes. Although educational difficulties of primary school–aged child refugees in high‐income countries tend to resolve, the risks for psychosocial problems persist. This review provides a deepened understanding of the diverse educational and psychosocial experiences of these children and highlights the need for developing health and educational programs to support this population.