Self-Perception of Children and Adolescents' Refugees with Trauma: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis of the Literature

Refugee children and adolescents face significant psychological and social challenges, especially in camps or during post-resettlement. We conducted a meta-synthesis of 24 qualitative studies including 870 participants aged 3-19 to explore how they perceive trauma, considering gender, age, and unaccompanied status. Thematic analysis identified five core themes: (1) mental health perceptions, showing reluctance to disclose distress due to stigma and cultural norms; (2) stigma regarding refugee status, reflecting societal prejudice and barriers to integration; (3) desire to belong, including social withdrawal, family cohesion, and religious coping; (4) gender-specific needs, with girls facing early marriage, safety threats, and psychosocial vulnerability; and (5) discrimination from host communities, including verbal, physical, and institutional exclusion. Participants reported pervasive emotional distress, identity conflicts, somatic symptoms, and disrupted social relationships. The findings highlight the complex, multi-layered impact of forced displacement. Thematic analysis proved effective for capturing lived experiences, coping strategies, and contextual influences. These results underscore the urgent need for culturally sensitive, trauma-informed interventions addressing mental health, social support, and protective factors to promote the well-being and integration of refugee minors. The scarcity of research in high-risk camp and detention settings underscores the importance of qualitative inquiry to inform culturally grounded, multi-level psychosocial support.