“If I speak English, what am I? I am full man, me”: Emotional impact and barriers for refugees and asylum seekers learning English.
Lack of proficiency in the language of the host country predicts distress among refugees, but many refugees and asylum seekers in the United Kingdom have less than functional English. This study examined how learning English affected refugees’ and asylum seekers’ lives, particularly their emotional...
| Publicado en: | Transcultural Psychiatry Vol. 54; no. 5/6; pp. 733 - 756 |
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| Autores principales: | , |
| Formato: | research tables/charts Journal Article |
| Publicado: |
Sage Publications, Ltd.
Oct-Dec2017
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| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=126762065&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 126762065 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 13634615 3FX jtl: Transcultural Psychiatry issn: 13634615 maglogo: Y pubinfo: dt: Oct-Dec2017 vid: 54 iid: 5/6 pid: 2171 pub: Sage Publications, Ltd. artinfo: ui: 126762065 126762065 126762065 10.1177/1363461517746315 126762065 ppf: 733 ppct: 23 formats: tig: atl: “If I speak English, what am I? I am full man, me”: Emotional impact and barriers for refugees and asylum seekers learning English. aug: au: Salvo, Tania de C Williams, Amanda C. affil: University College London, UK sug: subj: Refugees Psychosocial Factors Emotions Psychological Well-Being English as a Second Language Learning United Kingdom Human Academic Medical Centers Interviews Thematic Analysis Autonomy Shame Support, Psychosocial ab: Lack of proficiency in the language of the host country predicts distress among refugees, but many refugees and asylum seekers in the United Kingdom have less than functional English. This study examined how learning English affected refugees’ and asylum seekers’ lives, particularly their emotional wellbeing, to explore what factors, particularly psychological ones, facilitated or impeded their learning English. We recruited 16 refugees and asylum seekers from an inner-city National Health Service trauma service and from a charity providing one-to-one English classes. All participants were interviewed in English. Interview data were analysed using thematic analysis from a critical realist perspective. Interviewees provided consistent accounts of their efforts to learn English, integrated into often unsettled and difficult lives. The analysis generated six themes in two domains. The impact of learning English was mainly positive, associated with autonomy, sense of achievement, and aspirations. Barriers to learning English consisted of other problems affecting refugees’ capacity to learn, limited opportunities to speak English, and a sense of shame associated with perceived lack of English language competence. Findings highlight the need to provide adequate psychological support for refugees and asylum seekers learning English, recognising its importance in promoting both their integration in the UK and their individual psychological well-being. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: research tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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