Experience of Personal Recovery from Mental Disorders Among West African Refugees: A Clinical Case Study

• Published in: Culture, medicine and psychiatry Vol. 49; no. 3; pp. 523 - 543
• Main Authors: Piot, Marie-Aude, Stabler, Sarah, Köenig, Marie, Nougarède, Clément, Larchanché, Stéphanie, Cadwallader, Jean-Sébastien, Ayouch-Boda, Amina, Lefin-Ringuenet, Christine, Lacombe, Karine, Surgers, Laure
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.09.2025; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Africa, Western - ethnology; Anthropology; Attitudes; Case studies; Case Study; Clinical Psychology; Displaced persons; Economic conditions; Empowerment; Female; Health care; Health care access; Health services; Health Services Accessibility; Humans; Infectious diseases; Intergenerational transmission; Interpretative phenomenological analysis; Interviews; Interviews as Topic; Male; Medical personnel; Mental disorders; Mental Disorders - ethnology; Mental Disorders - psychology; Mental Disorders - therapy; Mental health; Middle Aged; Minority & ethnic groups; Multiculturalism & pluralism; Post traumatic stress disorder; Psychiatry; Public Health; Qualitative Research; Recovery; Refugees; Refugees - psychology; Selfprotection; Social Sciences; Socioeconomic factors; Sociology; Trauma; Africa, Western; France; West Africa; Western; Qualitative research; Mental health recovery; Refugee; Communicable disease; Africa
• ISSN: 0165-005X; 1573-076X; 1573-076X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11013-025-09923-6

Exposure to multiple vulnerability factors increase the likelihood of refugees experiencing mental health issues. Certain post-migratory factors exacerbate these disorders, while the processes of personal recovery remain unclear. This study explored the experience of personal recovery among West African refugees with mental issue, with the aim of helping health professionals in host countries to provide more appropriate care. We used the qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis method. Ten participants were purposively sampled for face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Two themes emerged from the analysis. Despite their extreme socio-economic precariousness, mental disorders were perceived as forbidden conditions compared to the processes of acceptance of their somatic pathologies; hindering access to mental healthcare more markedly. Rebuilding a sense of security basis in the host country was seen as an essential step, but was also associated with factors that hindered the care process. Certain encounters could enable a return to care with patience, understanding and warmth. Our results highlighted the need to overcome some short-term self-protection strategies by adopting a benevolent attitude and active listening, ensuring secure socio-economical conditions first to enable mental care, increase the multicultural skills of healers, and support therapies that are not limited to face-to-face approach through activity, art, and group support. This may help to limit the risk of transmission of suffering to future generations.