Migrant mental health: a systematic review of trauma assessment measures in forcibly displaced adults and an empirical study exploring factors impacting migrant mental health and wellbeing

Findings highlight the scarcity of comprehensive validation studies, especially in forcibly displaced populations from low- and middle-income countries.<br><br>The second study is a large-scale quantitative survey investigating post-migratory factors associated with mental health outcomes among 218 economic and forcibly displaced migrants in the UK and Ireland. A novel tool, the Migrant Perception of Public Attitudes Scale, was developed and psychometrically evaluated, with factor analyses supporting a<br>one-factor structure.

While perceptions of public attitudes did not differ significantly by migration status, differences emerged by country of origin. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that more positive perceptions of public attitudes were associated with lower anxiety and higher wellbeing, independent of trauma history and quality of life.<br>Collectively, these studies emphasise the need for robust, culturally sensitive mental health assessment tools for forcibly displaced populations, and highlight the role of social context, including perceived public attitudes, in shaping post-migration mental health outcomes.<br><br><i>Thesis is embargoed until 31 December 2026.</i>