Experiences of cultural bereavement amongst refugees from Zimbabwe living in the UK
During the resettlement journey, refugees can experience war trauma, violence, and loss. Research has consistently linked these experiences with mental health difficulties, such as PTSD and depression. An alternative perspective is the phenomenon of cultural bereavement. Cultural bereavement is known as a type of grief reaction that can result from the considerable losses that refugees experience during displacement. Refugees come to the UK from all over the world. However, in recent years, due to decades of political upheaval, there have been a significant number of Zimbabweans seeking refuge in the UK. It is, therefore, likely that they have experienced the level of loss that may result in experiences of cultural bereavement. This qualitative study explored the experiences of Zimbabwean refugees living in the UK, and their relevance to cultural bereavement. Additionally, the study aimed to determine how the refugees’ overall experiences related to a theoretical model of refugee trauma. Seven Zimbabwean refugees were interviewed about their experiences, and transcripts were analysed using template analysis. The template outlined three dominant themes arising from the research. These were 1) factors that contributed towards cultural bereavement, 2) the experiences themselves, and 3) coping and resilience factors in the UK. Each was discussed in relation to previous research and the proposed refugee model. The methodological limitations and contributions of the research are discussed, along with the potential wider relevance of the findings particularly in relation to services working with refugees. Suggestions are made for future research to investigate these initial findings further, specifically with othercultures and refugee populations.
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