Forced Migration and Family Dynamics

Hakan KARAMANa , Mehmet Engin DENİZb

aBeyoğlu Guidance and Research Center, Department of Guidance and Psychological Counseling Services, İstanbul, Türkiye
bYıldız Technical University Faculty of Education, Department of Guidance and Psychological Counseling, İstanbul, Türkiye

Karaman H, Deniz ME. Forced migration and family dynamics. In: Öztürk E, ed. Migration Psychology. 1st ed. Ankara: Türkiye Klinikleri; 2024. p.64-72.

ABSTRACT

The phenomenon of people leaving their habitual residence due to reasons beyond their control is termed as forced migration. In general, people are forced to migrate en masse as a result of wars, terrorist incidents, political oppressions, armed conflicts, psychosocial oppressions, and natural disasters. According to dissoanalysis theory, dysfunctional families are the dominant family model in societies consisting of traumatized and dissociated individuals. In these families, violence-focused and unempathetic negative child-rearing styles are applied and dysfunctional generations are occured. In societies dominated by dysfunctional generations and families, successive terrorist incidents, catastrophic wars and psychosocial oppressions are the factors that push people to migrate. The majority of mass population movements all over the world are experienced due to forced migration. As a result of forced migration, family dynamics change in many areas such as economy, health, accomodation, education, culture, belief and human relations. As a result of new social conditions, differentiation is experienced within the family in terms of responsibility, values, decision-making process, communication within the family, roles, relationships with people outside the family, eating and drinking, clothing and social life. The family members most adversely affected by the process of forced migration are women and children. Many psychopathologies such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, dissociative disorders and depression disorders can be encounter in forced migrants. In this context, the psychosocial and psychopathological effects of migration should be carefully considered in the policies adopted by states on the peri-migration and migrants. According to dissoanalysis theory, the most efficient and permanent solution to the traumas caused by war, terrorism, genocide and forced migration is to raise peaceful and development-oriented generations.

Keywords: Forced migration; family; psychotraumatology; intergenerational transmission of migration trauma; dissoanalysis theory; psychosocial intervention

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