Children’s views on their migratory journey: The importance of meaning for better adaptation

Children and Youth Services Review (2020)
Publié le 9 novembre 2020

Authors: Christine Gervais, Isabel Côté, Andréanne Pomerleau, Kristel Tardif-Grenier, Francine de Montigny, & Renée-Pier Trottier-Cyr

First published: November 2020

Immigration affects children and teenagers in particular – there are approximately ten million of them immigrating to new countries every year. The significant amount of stress endured during this transition both directly and indirectly influences the development and well-being of immigrant children. The child’s point of view on migration is, however, largely absent from studies on the subject. This mixed-method study seeks to understand how children adapt to and perceive their immigration. Forty-three recently immigrated children participated in the study. The qualitative and quantitative results highlighted a better adaptation of refugee children than children with economic immigrant status, while the qualitative results revealed differences in migration experiences for these two groups of children, which were rooted in their representations of the motives for immigration, the support they received during the transition, and their feelings related to the migration transition. These results point to the usefulness of interventions with newcomer families to support children’s adaptation to immigration.

Comment citer cette publication

Gervais, C, Côté, I., Pomerleau, A., Tardif-Grenier, K, de Montigny, F., & Trottier-Cyr, R. P. (2021). Children’s views on their migratory journey: The importance of meaning for better adaptation. Children and Youth Service Review, 120, Article 105673.

  • Isabel Côté

    Professeure titulaire au Département de travail social de l’Université du Québec en Outaouais

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