Social Capital Matters for Older Bhutanese Refugees' Integration

Older and younger refugees have different experiences integrating into host countries. In the U.S., older Bhutanese refugees may face additional barriers when integrating, due to limited ability to adapt to a new language and cultural shifts. Social capital, however, has shown to be supportive of refugees' integration, which may be important for older Bhutanese refugees. This study's aim is to examine the effect of social capital and age on integration for Bhutanese refugees living in the United States. A cross-sectional moderated multiple linear regression analysis examined the effect of social capital and age on integration outcomes for 244 Bhutanese refugees in the United States. Higher social capital may contribute to higher levels of integration for older adult Bhutanese refugees' integration. These findings bring recommendations for policy and practice, including more targeted resettlement programs for older refugees.