Psychological Impacts of Exile: Salvadoran and Guatemalan Families in Mexico

59, [5] pp. "Salvadoran and Guatemalan refugee families in Mexico City are adapting as best they can to their new surroundings. In psychological terms, however, their adjustment brings short-tem relief yet poses long-term difficulties. The demands of day-to-day living have all but suspended the natural mourning process for the losses they have endured. By not coming to terms with the past, they face serious difficulties making decisions about the future. The authors provide a rich analysis of the changes in family structure and relationships that have resulted from forced migration. Particularly interesting is the discussion of problems facing specific family members: such as the elderly, adults, adolescents and children." CONTENTS: Foreword; Acknowledgements; Introduction; Migrant Refugee Families: The Object of the Study; War, Migration, and Mental Health: Background to the Conflicts; The Process of Migration and Refuge; Results of the Exploratory Social Survey: Description of the Population; The Migration Process; Transformations in the Family Structure and Dynamics; Sources of Stress and Support; Orientation Toward the Future; Results of In-Depth Case Studies: Theoretical Foundations; Traumatic Experiences; Exile and Changes in Family Structure; Family Tendencies and Future Options; Conclusions and Recommendations; Notes.