Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39936869›Full record

ReviewPsychological medicine2025

The longitudinal relationship between psychological symptoms and social functioning in displaced refugees.

Angela Nickerson, Gulsah Kurt, Belinda Liddell, David Keegan, Randy Nandyatama, Atika Yuanita, Rizka Argadianti Rachmah, Joel Hoffman, Shraddha Kashyap, Natalie Mastrogiovanni and 11 more

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Psychological medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

21 authors.

Angela NickersonSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-9171-4209
Gulsah KurtSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Belinda LiddellSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
David KeeganHOST International, Parramatta, NSW, Australia.
Randy NandyatamaDepartment of International Relations, Gadjah Mada University Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Atika YuanitaSUAKA, Indonesian Civil Society Network for Refugee Rights Protection, Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia.
Rizka Argadianti RachmahSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Joel HoffmanSydney School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney.
Shraddha KashyapBilya Marlee School of Indigenous Studies, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
Natalie MastrogiovanniSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Vivian MaiSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Anna CamilleriSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Dessy SusantySchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Diah TricesariaSchool of Social Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
Hasti RostamiSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Jenny ImSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Marta GurzedaSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Mitra KhakbazHOST International, Parramatta, NSW, Australia.
Sarah FunnellSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Zico PestalozziSUAKA, Indonesian Civil Society Network for Refugee Rights Protection, Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia.
Philippa SpeckerSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-3969-2599

Funding

MQ: Transforming Mental Health MPSIP\15
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRefugee experiences of trauma and displacement can significantly disrupt established social networks. While social functioning has been routinely associated with mental health, to our knowledge, no study has tested the direction of influence between social and psychological functioning within displaced refugee communities. This study investigated the temporal association between psychological symptoms (PTSD, depression, anger) and multiple facets of social functioning (including community connectedness, perceived social responsibility, positive social support and negative social support).

methodA culturally diverse sample of refugees (N = 1,235) displaced in Indonesia completed an online survey at four time-points, six months apart. Longitudinal structural equation modelling was used to investigate the temporal ordering between psychological symptoms and social functioning.

resultsFindings revealed that greater psychological symptoms were associated with a subsequent deterioration in social functioning (decreased positive social support and community connectedness and increased negative social support and perceived social responsibility). Greater perceived social responsibility was also associated with subsequent increases in psychological symptoms, while positive social support and community connectedness were bi-directionally associated over-time.

conclusionsThese findings highlight the potential utility of mental health interventions for displaced refugees as a means to improve social functioning and inclusion with host communities. Findings have important implications in guiding the development of interventions and allocation of resources to support refugee engagement and wellbeing in displacement contexts.

Indexed as

DepressionRefugeesSocial SupportStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticAdolescentAdultAngerFemaleHumansIndonesiaLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedYoung Adultasylum-seekersdisplacementmental healthposttraumatic stress disorderrefugeessocial functioning

Identifiers

PMID39936869
PMCPMC12017371

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.