Piloting Research on Grief Experience of Immigrants amid War and Violence


Zohreh Bayatrizi, University of Alberta

We will discuss the results of a pilot study we have conducted on the experience of grief among immigrants in Canada. In particular, we are focusing on immigrants who have come to Canada from countries that experience turmoil, such as war and political violence. While the larger study involves 4 different immigrant communities, in this pilot study we have focused on Palestinian and Ukrainian immigrants only. Our starting point is that immigration, identity, the sense of home and grief are intertwined, each influencing the others. As the pilot study is currently undergoing, we cannot yet give a preview of the results at the time of abstract submission but our previous study of a similar topic indicates that the vicarious experience of violence “back home” can be felt profoundly among immigrants in Canada and result in major adverse mental health effects.

Non-presenting authors: Samira Torabi, Univeristy of Alberta; Rezvaneh Erfani, University of Alberta; Madina Ahmed, University of Alberta; Ivan Shmatko, Univeristy of Alberta

This paper will be presented at the following session: