The Role of Refugee Children's Host Country Language in Their Resilience to Resettlement: A Longitudinal and Within-Family Study on Syrian Children's Early Adaptation in Canada
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| Title: | The Role of Refugee Children's Host Country Language in Their Resilience to Resettlement: A Longitudinal and Within-Family Study on Syrian Children's Early Adaptation in Canada |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Steve Songtao Wang (ORCID |
| Source: | Developmental Psychology. 2025 61(12):2221-2237. |
| Availability: | American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 17 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Refugees, Resilience (Psychology), Children, Relocation, Second Languages, Receptive Language, Language Skills, Mental Health, Siblings, Educational Attainment, Parent Background, Family Size, Child Behavior, Antisocial Behavior, Foreign Countries, Behavior Problems, Arabs, English (Second Language), Arabic |
| Geographic Terms: | Canada, Syria, Canada (Toronto) |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test |
| DOI: | 10.1037/dev0002072 |
| ISSN: | 0012-1649 1939-0599 |
| Abstract: | One hundred twenty-six children (between 6 and 13 years) in 71 families who were resettled in Canada, as a result of the Syrian Civil War, were followed up over 3 years, using a sibling comparison, longitudinal design. This design allowed us to test the hypothesis that host country receptive language competence (L2) protects refugee children's mental health in families with limited resources (low parental education, large family size). The sibling comparison design unconfounded within- and between-family processes. Results using multilevel growth curve modeling showed that children's externalizing behavior started high and decreased over the 3 years of study. Receptive L2 was found to protect refugee children from the risks of low parental education and large family size while ruling out the possibility that this protective process occurred between families. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1503085 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | One hundred twenty-six children (between 6 and 13 years) in 71 families who were resettled in Canada, as a result of the Syrian Civil War, were followed up over 3 years, using a sibling comparison, longitudinal design. This design allowed us to test the hypothesis that host country receptive language competence (L2) protects refugee children's mental health in families with limited resources (low parental education, large family size). The sibling comparison design unconfounded within- and between-family processes. Results using multilevel growth curve modeling showed that children's externalizing behavior started high and decreased over the 3 years of study. Receptive L2 was found to protect refugee children from the risks of low parental education and large family size while ruling out the possibility that this protective process occurred between families. |
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| ISSN: | 0012-1649 1939-0599 |
| DOI: | 10.1037/dev0002072 |
