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Developing mental health social work for asylum seekers: A proposed model for practice

Masocha, Shepard, Simpson, Murray K. (2011) Developing mental health social work for asylum seekers: A proposed model for practice. Journal of Social Work Practice, 12 (4). pp. 423-443. ISSN 0265-0533. (doi:10.1177/1468017310392283) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:34471)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1468017310392283

Abstract

• Summary: This article provides a critique of the epidemiological research that currently informs mental health social work with asylum seekers. Most of the literature that currently informs social work practice with asylum seekers with mental health difficulties comes from psychiatric studies which are largely underpinned by a medical model.

• Findings: It is argued that aetiological accounts, predominantly deriving from psychiatry and based largely on biological causation, are untenable. A more comprehensive model is presented, which considers both biological causation and a social perspective and locates the mental health difficulties experienced by asylum seekers in a much wider context. The model is further divided into pre-, post- and migratory stress factors.

• Application: The aim is to provide social work with a practical tool to make sense of the mental health difficulties faced by asylum seekers, help in the development of assessment tools, and help multidisciplinary agencies to define the roles and remit of staff as well as contribute towards the development of policy and practice.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1177/1468017310392283
Uncontrolled keywords: Asylum seekers, mental health, practice, social model, social work
Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research
Depositing User: Mita Mondal
Date Deposited: 01 Jul 2013 13:06 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:11 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/34471 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Masocha, Shepard.

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