I authorize Ryerson University to loan this MRP to other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scientific research. Exploring the mental health experiences of first-generation Afghan post-secondary students in Toronto, Canada. To explore the mental health experiences of first generation Afghan post-secondary students in Toronto Canada, qualitative interviews were conducted with three post-secondary Afghan students from Ryerson University, York University and University of Toronto.
This study highlights the systemic oppression and institutional barriers that young Afghan adults face as students in postsecondary institutions, and the mental health consequences they face as a result of persistent prejudice and discrimination. The research also highlights the importance of giving students a voice in planning services and spaces that promote a sense of belonging and support opportunities for success. I would like to thank my family and friends for their support and encouragement during this project.
Introduction
Literature Review
These results are significant and pose a threat not only to school success rates, but also to the mental health of Afghan youth living in Toronto. Despite the lack of research on the mental health needs of Afghan youth, we will first look at what exists addressing the mental health needs of the immigrant population in Toronto. The mental health experiences of Afghan immigrant youth are understudied, and therefore it is difficult to identify the mental health needs of Afghan immigrant youth in Toronto.
As mentioned above, there is a lack of research on the mental health experiences of Afghan youth. There is no research available on the mental health experiences of Afghan youth attending post-secondary institutions, their challenges and coping mechanism. Therefore, this major research paper examines the mental health experiences of Afghan post-secondary students in Toronto.
Theoretical Framework
Specifically, this paper seeks to hear from first-generation Afghan-Canadians about their experiences and feelings of belonging/non-belonging in a Canadian post-secondary setting, and/or experiences of discrimination and marginalization and how these experiences impact in their mental health. All participants talked about negative mental health experiences, but none labeled their experiences as illness. In pursuing this research topic, I used qualitative research as the goal is to capture the essence of the mental health experiences of first-generation Afghan post-secondary students in Toronto, Canada.
The research uses a phenomenological analysis as it focuses on the participants' experiences and feelings of belonging/not belonging in a Canadian post-secondary setting, and their experiences of discrimination and marginalization and how these experiences affected their mental health. It starts to affect your mental health because you become hopeless; you are not going to believe the system. Research suggests that identity crisis can have major negative mental health effects (Oppedal, Røysamb, & Sam, 2004).
To stay on topic, we redirected our attention to how attending post-secondary education affected and continues to affect our participants' mental health experiences. For example, individuals go through psychological problems due to their course load and. Educational institutions and Afghan post-secondary students must take responsibility for creating such spaces that bring like-minded young Afghans together and create a platform that will increase students' sense of belonging and reduce their stress and negative mental health experiences.
All participants reported that they would not seek mental health care from their educational institutions due to fear of being judged. It is also reflected in the limited diversity of mental health providers, and in the lack of immigrant programs. All our participants asked the Afghan community, their families and friends to be able to talk about mental health in a non-threatening way.
The purpose of this study was to explore the mental health experiences of first-generation Afghan post-secondary students in Toronto, Canada. As a result of this oppression, it was concluded that Afghan young adults in postsecondary institutions need mental health intervention services and funding that creates space to foster a sense of belonging and acceptance. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this study is to explore the mental health experiences of Afghan post-secondary students in Toronto, Canada.
It will provide insight for those who decide to read my major research paper on the unique mental health experiences of minority Afghan post-secondary students, and will add to the literature and suggest areas for future research in this community. We are looking for 2-3 post-secondary Afghan-Canadian immigrant students to participate in a new study and help us understand their mental health experiences.
Findings and Analysis
Implementations and conclusion
The findings of this study revealed that the three Afghan postsecondary students interviewed have a lower sense of belonging to their campus due to systematicity. Systematic Oppression Systematic barriers are set up that challenge three Afghan students to be involved in meaningful activities on campus and create a sense of belonging. To begin with, despite their early arrival in Canada, most participants highlighted the difficulties they encountered in school, work, and family life as a systematic barrier to their sense of belonging.
She said this as she explained that she doesn't expect mental health providers to know about the Afghanistan fighting and its impact on her mental health. This will help students feel a sense of belonging to their campus and ask for help when needed. The findings of this study show that postsecondary institutions are deeply embedded in the practice and process of systematic prejudice and discrimination.
The systematic oppression is further displayed in bodies that no longer have a sense of belonging to their campus; bodies deemed too weak to ask for accommodation, and bodies gradually undergoing biographical erasure. The strategy of creating a double identity works as a coping mechanism for some, while for others it becomes a way to avoid prejudice and discriminatory actions and create a sense of belonging. The process of biographical deletion works in two ways; one is that it gives the illusion that the more one assimilates to the Canadian ways of being, the higher sense of belonging one will feel.
When someone becomes rootless, doesn't belong to their community or to the Canadian community, that's insanity in the making (if I insert the word insane, I do. In this way, we've come to realize that negative mental health experiences are the result of living in an indifferent society; but creating a strong and caring community could prevent negative mental health experiences Start the conversation about mental health: ask direct questions about emotions, love, sex, dating and be there for each other as a community.
This study contributes to an improved understanding of the systems of oppression and institutional barriers that young Afghan adults face as students in post-secondary institutions and highlights negative mental health implications (such as identity crisis) of persistent prejudice and discrimination.
Consent form
Audio record the interview so that the researcher can transcribe the interview afterwards. Participants will be contacted by the researcher after the interviews to do member checking to ensure that the data collected and interpreted resonates with the participants. There is a risk of personal identity within this research as participants will be known to the researcher, as such their identities will not be anonymous.
As such, a list of resources will be provided at the end of this consent form for. The researcher, Naro Hussaini, and her supervisor, Gordon Pon, will be the only ones with access to the research data, with all data being stored only by the individual researcher, Naro Hussaini. Signed consent forms, audio-recorded interviews, interview transcripts and contact information (names, email and/or phone number) will be collected.
Information will be stored confidentially and securely electronically with password protection, encrypted USB and deleted once the data has been coded and analyzed. All digital data will be stored electronically under password-protected files exclusively on the researcher's computer. Signed consent forms will be kept in a secure locker kept in a secure room accessible only to the researcher.
Audio recordings will be password protected on the audio device and uploaded to password protected audio files. These audio files will be deleted after the transcriptions are completed, which is expected to be within one week of the audio recording of the interview. At this point, the transcriptions will be kept as password-protected files until the final draft of the paper is completed and submitted to the Ryerson University School of Social Work.
Once the paper is submitted to the School of Social Work at Ryerson University, the transcripts will be destroyed.
Interview guide
If yes: How did these experiences affect your mental health and other areas in your life. If you could make things better for others in the same situation, how would you do it? Would you like to pass a copy of the email/recruitment announcement on to others who may be interested in this study.
Is there anything else we haven't covered yet that you want to talk about? We would like to share the findings of the study/MRP with you, if you would like to receive the findings, what is the best way to contact you to share this.
Recruitment script
Sense of place and mental well-being of visible minority immigrants in Hamilton, Ontario: Key informant revelations. Discrimination and immigrant and refugee health: Exploring the Canadian evidence base and directions for future research. The effect of acculturation and social support on changes in mental health among immigrant youth.
NHS Focus on Geography Series - Toronto:. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhsenm/2011/assa/fogsspg/Pages/FOG.cfm?lang=E&level=3. A study of the information practices of newly arrived Afghan youth in leisure and residential contexts.
