Murphy, Rebecca and Keogh, Brian and Higgins, Agnes (2019) Erosion of Meaning in Life: African Asylum Seekers’ Experiences of Seeking Asylum in Ireland. Journal of Refugee Studies, 32 (2). pp. 278-301. ISSN 1471-6925

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Abstract

The narratives of 16 African asylum seekers indicated that the asylum system in Ireland eroded the various sources from which they could derive meaning in life (MIL). The endurance of a protracted asylum process, prohibition from entering the labour force and residence in institutionalized accommodation appeared to erode asylum seekers’ sense of self-efficacy, purpose, worth, value and belonging. Experiencing a cumulative erosion of all derivations of MIL appeared to inform asylum seekers’ appraisals that they were living a post-migratory life devoid of meaning and consequently reduced psychological wellbeing. Study findings warrant further investigation into the mediating role MIL may play in asylum seekers’ post-migratory mental health while also indicating that current and future responses to asylum seekers’ mental distress must be adequately cognisant of and actively address the socio-cultural and socio-political context that asylum seekers inhabit.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is the preprint version of the published version, which is available at Rebecca Murphy, Brian Keogh, Agnes Higgins, Erosion of Meaning in Life: African Asylum Seekers’ Experiences of Seeking Asylum in Ireland, Journal of Refugee Studies, Volume 32, Issue 2, June 2019, Pages 278–301, https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/fey027
Keywords:	Asylum Seeker; Meaning in Life; Mental Health; Post-Migratory;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology
Item ID:	15084
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/fey027
Depositing User:	Rebecca Murphy
Date Deposited:	01 Dec 2021 17:36
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Refugee Studies
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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