Mapping the Social Determinants of Mental Health for Forcibly Displaced Young People: A Scoping Review

Background and Purpose: The 21^st century has seen drastic changes involving flows, processes, and patterns of international forced migration. In particular, youth have made up an increasingly large portion of the total number of forcibly displaced individuals. The challenges faced by displaced youth during both the migration and resettlement processes occur during integral stages of their emotional, social, and cognitive development, which may consequently negatively impact mental health and wellbeing. A social determinant of mental health (SDoMH) framework can provide a comprehensive lens to examine forcibly displaced youth mental health outcomes across different ecological levels. In order to better understand the current research landscape, this paper presents results from a scoping review that aimed to collect and summarize the evidence that currently exists regarding the SDoMH among forcibly displaced youth, including how SDoMH are conceptualized within the forced migration scholarship as well as the settings in which research around the SDoMH of forcibly displaced youth have been conducted.

Methods: The review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework. Four main relevant databases were used: MEDLINE, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL (EBSCO), and Embase. Search terms consisted of a combination of the core concepts within our research questions— social determinants, mental health, refugee, and young people— as well as related terms such as structural determinant, mental illness*, asylum seeker*, and young adult. 238 articles were pulled after searching each of the four databases. Of these, nine articles were included in the final review, after title and abstract screening and full-text review. The reference lists of all nine included articles were then reviewed for additional studies that fit the inclusion/exclusion criteria. A total of 12 articles across both database and citation searching sources were included in the final review.

To analyze the included articles, a narrative synthesis approach was taken. Articles were first categorized based on their content. Specific social determinants of mental health identified or referenced within each study were then mapped within a social determinant of mental health framework. Recommendations or interventions were additionally amalgamated across the included studies.

Results: Six main determinants were identified as relevant to forcibly displaced youth mental health: education, mental health care access, discrimination and prejudice, social relationships, housing and neighborhood environment, and migration or refugee status. Education was the most commonly identified determinant, impacting mental health both positively and negatively, with educational institutions emerging as sites of exclusion if young people were only structurally integrated. Social relationships had dual impacts, functioning as both sources of isolation and protective support. Finally, results highlighted the significance of place, as both local policies and neighborhood environment shaped integration, belonging, and mental health outcomes.

Conclusion and Implications: This analysis contributes to growing scholarship examining the SDoMH among forcibly displaced youth, highlighting gaps within the literature and identifying next steps within the field. Results from this review are used to identify relevant factors that shape forcibly displaced youth mental health as well as to provide recommendations to better address social determinants across mental health, education, and public policy sectors.