Children's Emotional and Behavioral Response Following a Migration : A Scoping Review

Background: Migration is a present and pressing phenomenon globally, climate change and political instability continue to rise, and increasingly, populations will be forced to relocate. Efficient strategies must be in place to aid the transition of vulnerable populations - such as children - and designed based on an understanding of their particular needs and risks. Aim of the review: This article reviewed recent research regarding the mental health of migrant children identifying a wide array of common characteristics to their emotional and behavioral responses following a migration and compiled an extensive list of protective and risk factors. 48 studies were selected from Proquest, WOS, SCOPUS, and Pubpsych published between 2015 and 2022. Findings: Migration and its inherent characteristics are less impactful to children's mental health than the experiences surrounding it such as discrimination, loss of access to government and education resources, premigration trauma, loss of community, cultural distance and acculturation, the strain on the family unit, and socioeconomic difficulties. Thus, it is possible to make migration a non-traumatic experience with the right care and intervention to avoid the emergence of depressive symptoms, PTSS (post-traumatic stress symptoms), anxiety, and other mental health issues that are commonly observed in migrant populations. Supporting family unity, peer connections, and government aid will serve as protective factors for children while they integrate into their new environment.