Psihosocialne stiske izseljencev med epidemijo COVID-19 : magistrsko delo

Kamerić, Emina (author), Sobočan, Ana Marija (mentor)

V magistrskem delu raziskujem vzroke in posledice psihosocialnih stisk slovenskih izseljencev v prvem letu po izbruhu epidemije COVID-19. V teoretičnem delu naslavljam ključne lastnosti sodobnih migracijskih tokov, psihosocialne vidike transnacionalizma, značilnosti izseljevanja Slovencev ter problematiko izseljencev v času epidemije. V empiričnem delu kvalitativne raziskave se osredotočam na edinstvene izkušnje izseljenstva med globalno pandemijo, učinke epidemije na kakovost življenja izseljencev ter njihove vire moči pri premagovanju stisk v izrednih razmerah. Čeprav so bile izkušnje izseljencev med epidemijo v marsičem podobne izkušnjam domačinov, so se v nekaterih pogledih bistveno razlikovale. Raziskava je pokazala, da migranti med preventivnimi ukrepi, ki omejujejo prosto gibanje in potovanje, doživljajo povečano psihično stisko zaradi negotovosti trajanja ločitve od družinskih članov v transnacionalnih družinah. Poleg tega so med epidemijo naleteli na pomembne ovire v procesu integracije v novo okolje, ki so nastajale zaradi težav pri vzpostavljanju socialnih mrež v času veljavnosti ukrepov in priporočil o omejitvi socialnih stikov, kar se je zaradi povečane socialne izolacije obenem negativno odrazilo na njihovem duševnem zdravju. Tisti, ki so imeli težave s sporazumevanjem v uradnem jeziku države bivanja, so imeli nekaj težav pri pridobivanju ustreznih informacij o poteku epidemije v lokalnem okolju ter sporazumevanju pri zdravstveni oskrbi. Nekateri so se iskanju zdravniške pomoči izogibali, ker so bili slabo obveščeni o svojih pravicah v tujih zdravstvenih sistemih. Posamezniki so se med epidemijo občasno soočali z občutnejšo stigmatizacijo zaradi oznake tujca v državah bivanja, istočasno pa jim je bila ob obisku domovine pripisana vloga krivca za prenos virusa. Ker je imela velika večina intervjuvancev stabilne zaposlitvene in stanovanjske pogoje v tujini, so se v državah bivanja večinoma počutili varne ter le redko koristili pomoč in storitve socialnega dela. Vire moči za spopadanje z novonastalimi stiskami v času epidemije so prepoznavali v svoji notranji moči, osebnostni strukturi in družinski podpori. Na podlagi analize rezultatov raziskave, v predlogih za prakso socialnega dela poudarjam pomen zagovorništva, analize sistemskih pomanjkljivosti in aktivacije neformalnih virov pomoči, zagotavljanja zanesljivih informacij o aktualnih preventivnih ukrepih pri delu z uporabniki ter prizadevanja za vključevanje izseljencev v lokalne skupnosti.

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: izseljenci, migracije, COVID-19, socialno delo
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Typology: 2.09 - Master's Thesis
• Organization: FSD - Faculty of Social Work
• Place of publishing: Ljubljana
• Publisher: [E. Kamerić]
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: 127 str.
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-139427
• UDC: 364.4-054.72
• COBISS.SI-ID: 138201347
• Publication date in RUL: 02.09.2022

Secondary language

• Language: English
• Title: Psychosocial Distress of Emigrants in the COVID-19 Epidemic

Abstract

The masters’ thesis explores the causes and effects of psychosocial distress in Slovenian emigrants during the initial year of the COVID-19 epidemic. The theoretical part addresses the key modern migration flows, the psychosocial viewpoint of transnationalism, characteristics of Slovenian emigration and the difficulties immigrants face during the epidemic. The empirical part of the thesis consists of qualitative research pertaining to the unique experiences of emigration during a global pandemic, the effects of the epidemic on emigrants' quality of life, and their sources of strength and empowerment. Whilst the experiences of emigrants were in many ways similar to the experiences of the locals, they differed in multiple aspects. The research showed that migrants tend to experience heightened psychological distress due to the uncertainty of the duration of separation in transnational families during preventive measures that obstruct free movement and travel. Additionally, their integration process was stalled due to the difficulty in establishing social networks during nationwide lockdowns, which incidentally negatively impacted their mental health by the means of increased social isolation. Those who were not fluent in the local language experienced some difficulty in obtaining relevant information about the epidemic in their countries of residence, as well as in seeking medical aid. In addition, some avoided seeking assistance due to being poorly informed about their rights in the local healthcare systems. Furthermore, as foreigners, individuals faced greater stigmatization in their receiving countries while simultaneously being blamed for spreading the virus upon visiting their homeland. As the vast majority of interviewees had stable employment and housing conditions abroad, they mostly felt secure in their receiving countries and seldom used social services. They depended mostly on their own resilience, independence, personality structure and familial support to empower them in these extraordinary circumstances. The recommendations for social work practice hence highlight the importance of advocacy and inclusivity, the analysis of systemic weaknesses and activation of informal resources, as well as providing reliable information on current preventive measures and striving towards the inclusion of immigrants in local communities.

• Keywords: emigrants, migration, COVID-19, social work