Abstract
The social networks of Vietnamese refugees and predictors of their intra- and inter-ethnic social contact after 3 years in Norway were studied. An unselected community cohort of Vietnamese boat refugees was personally interviewed, first on arrival in Norway (n=145) and again after 3 years (n=130). By the time of the second interview, the refugees had to a large degree reconstructed social networks and 54% had good contact with other Vietnamese. Only 17% had equally good contact with Norwegians. Female gender, further education after resettlement and having a close confidant on arrival were related to good interethnic social contact. The latter was the only predictor of good intra-ethnic social contact. Competency in the Norwegian language, surprisingly, did not predict good social contact with Norwegians. The refugees were largely successful in re-establishing a social platform in relation to their own ethnic group in their new environment. It was much more difficult to establish good social contact with Norwegians. Educational institutions appear to be important social arenas in this respect. The personal capacity for close attachments during a period of psychosocial transition is also important.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alloway R, Bebbington P (1987) The buffer theory of social support —a review of the literature. Psychol Med 17:91–108
Berger PL, Luckmann T (1967) The social construction of reality: a treatise in the sociology of knowledge. Penguin, London
Berry JW, Kim U, Minde T, Mok D (1987) Comparative studies of acculturative stress. Int Migr Rev 21:491–511
Bowlby J (1969) Attachment and loss, 2nd edn. 1. Attachment. Hogarth, London
Bronisch T, Wittchen H-U, Krieg C, Rupp H-U, Zerssen D von (1985) Depressive neurosis: a long term prospective and retrospective follow-up study of former inpatients. Acta Psychiatr Scand 71:237–248
Clare AW, Cairns VE (1978) Design, development and use of a standardized interview to assess social maladjustment and dysfunction in community studies. Psychol Med 8:589–604
Djuve AB, Hagen K (1995) “Find me a job!” Living conditions among refugees in Norway (in Norwegian). Fafo Research Institute, Oslo
Faltermaier T, Wittchen H-U, Ellmann R, Lässle R (1985) The Social Interview Schedule (SIS)-content, structure and reliability. Soc Psychiatry 20:115–122
Hauff E, Vaglum P (1993a) Integration of Vietnamese refugees into the Norwegian labour market: the impact of war trauma. Int Migr Rev 27:388–405
Hauff E, Vaglum P (1993b) Vietnamese boat refugees: the influence of war and flight traumatization on mental health on arrival in the country of resettlement. Acta Psychiatr Scand 88: 162–168
Hauff E, Vaglum P (1994) Chronic PTSD in Vietnamese refugees A prospective community study of prevalence, course, psychopathology and stressors. J Nerv Ment Dis 182:85–90
Hauff E, Vaglum P (1995) Organised violence and the stress of exile: predictors of mental health in a community cohort of Vietnamese refugees three years after resettlement. Br J Psychiatry 166: 360–367
Hecht H, Wittchen H-U (1988) The frequency of social dysfunction in a general population sample and in patients with mental disorders. A comparison using the Social Interview Schedale (SIS). Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 23:17–29
Henderson S, Byrne DG, Duncan-Jones P (1981) Neurosis and the social environment. Academic Press, Sydney
Holter H, Henriksen HV, Gjertsen A, Hjorth H (1975) The Family in the Class Society (in Norwegian). Pax, Oslo
Krupinski J, Burrows G (eds) (1986) The price of freedom: young Indochinese refugees in Australia. Pergamon Press, Rushcutters Bay, New South Wales
NOU (Norges offentlige utredninger) (1986) Refugees' Adjustment to Norwegian Society (in Norwegian). NOU 1986:8. Universitetsforlaget, Oslo
Sam DL (1994a) Acculturation of young immigrants in Norway: a psychological and socio-cultural adaptation. University on Bergen, Bergen
Sam DL (1994b) The psychological adjustment of young immigrants in Norway. Scand J Psychol 35:240–253
SPSS (1988) SPSS/PC+V2.0. SPSS, Chicago
Starker J (1986) Methodological and conceptual issues in research on social support. Hosp Comm Psychiatry 37:485–490
Starr PD, Roberts AE (1982) Community structure and Vietnamese refugee adaptation: the significance of context. Int Migr Rev 16: 595–612
St. meld. nr. 17 (1994–95): regarding refugee policies (in Norwegian) Ministry of Local. Government and Labour, Oslo
Westermeyer J (1989) Mental health for refugees and other migrants: social and preventive approaches. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Ill.
Wing JK, Cooper JE, Sartorius N (1974) The description and classification of psychiatric symptoms: an instruction manual for the PSE and CATEGO system. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Wing JK, Bebbington P, Robins LN (1981) What is a case? The problem of definition on psychiatric community surveys. Grant McIntyre. London
Yu ESH, Liu WT (1986) Methodological problems and policy implications in Vietnamese refugee research. Int Migr Rev 20: 483–501
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hauff, E., Vaglum, P. Establishing social contact in exile: a prospective community cohorts study of Vietnamese refugees in Norway. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 32, 408–415 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00788181
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00788181