The pains and gains of reception centres: How length of stay in reception centres is associated with Syrian refugees' mental health during early resettlement
| Published date | 01 June 2023 |
| Author | Meta Linden,Luuk Weeda,Jaco Dagevos |
| Date | 01 June 2023 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/imig.13052 |
1Department of Interdisciplinary Social
Science, European Research Centre on
Migration and Ethnic Relations (ERCOMER),
Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
2Department of Public Administration and
Sociology, Erasmus School of Social and
Behavioural Sciences, Erasmus University
Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
3The Netherlands Institute for Social Research,
The Netherlands
Correspondence
Meta van der Linden, Department of
Interdisciplinary Social Science, European
Research Centre on Migration and Ethnic
Relations (ERCOMER), Utrecht University,
Padualaan 14, 3584 CH Utrecht, The
Netherlands.
Email: m.vanderlinden3@uu.nl
Funding information
Stichting De Verre Bergen
Abstract
In European countries, refugees await the approval of their
asylum claim in reception centres. Scholars have repeat-
edly expressed concern about the consequences of a long
reception period for refugees' mental health but the mech-
anisms that drive this negative relationship remain not fully
understood. Using survey data from 481 Syrian refugees in
the Netherlands, we show that the length of stay in recep-
tion centres was associated with an increasing number of
forced relocations between reception centres, which weak-
ened refugees' mental health during their resettlement up
to 2 years later. In an attempt to improve refugees' mental
health, reception centres now offer day-time activities.
However, while we find that length of stay in reception
centres was associated with more frequent participation in
day-time activities, it did not substantially improve refugees'
mental health. We call for policy makers to reduce the detri-
mental effects of a frequent forced relocations between
reception centres.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
The pains and gains of reception centres: How
length of stay in reception centres is associated
with Syrian refugees' mental health during early
resettlement
Meta van der Linden1 | Luuk Weeda2 | Jaco Dagevos2,3
DOI: 10.1111/imig.13052
Received: 11 November 2021 Revised: 29 April 2022 Accepted: 26 July 2022
INTRODUCTION
Since the summer of 2015, relatively high numbers of refugees from Syria were forced to flee their country and, conse-
quently, have sought asylum in Europe. While awaiting the review of their asylum claim in the responsible country
of arrival, refugees arriving in European Union member states are temporarily housed in assigned reception centres
301
© 2022 International Organization for Migration.
International Migration. 2023;61:301–313. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/imig
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