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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Psychosocial effects in Malawian returnees
Author:Peltzer, KarlISNI
Year:1998
Periodical:Psychopathologie africaine
Volume:29
Issue:1
Pages:41-56
Language:English
Notes:biblio. refs.
Geographic terms:Malawi
Southern Africa
Subjects:refugees
return migration
social welfare
Philosophy, Psychology
psychology
social problems
social networks
Jehovah's Witnesses
Abstract:It is estimated that about 25,000 Malawians have been forced to leave the country over a period of three decades beginning in the 1960s. Returnees are faced with a number of social and pyschological problems. This article examines returnee experiences and their effects on the basis of interviews with 90 repatriates (69 male, 21 female) in the central and northern region of Malawi. The interviews were conducted from November 1995 to March 1996. Problems mentioned by returnees included lack of security, no family to fall back on, dual identity, unemployment, false expectations as a result of insufficient information, differing loyalties within families, and the stress of confronting changes. Psychological well-being proved to be strongly related to emotion-focused coping and social support by friends or neighbours. The social support provided by the church seems to have the greatest impact on the quality of life. Bibliogr., sum. in English and French.
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