The Impact of Trauma and Daily Hardships on the Mental Health of Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Detained in Libya

Background: The high trauma load and prevalence of mental distress in unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) who resettle in Western (European) countries is well documented. However, the lack of studies investigating the potentially most vulnerable population, URMs who are currently on the move in transit countries such as Libya, is alarming.

Aims: To document the mental health of URMs detained in Libya and the possible associations with trauma, flight and daily hardships.

Method: In total = 99 (94.9% male; = 93) URMs participated in this cross-sectional study conducted in four detention centres near the Libyan capital Tripoli. Data were collected via standardised questionnaires in an interview format and analysed using structured equation modelling.

Results: Participants reported high rates of trauma, especially within Libya itself. Reports of daily hardships in detention ranged between 40 and 95% for basic needs and between 27 and 80% for social needs. Higher social needs were associated with increased anxiety symptoms ( = 0.59; = 0.028) and increased pre-migration ( = 0.10; = 0.061) and peri-migration trauma ( = 0.16; = 0.017) with symptoms of depression. Similarly, higher levels of pre-migration trauma were associated with higher post-traumatic stress disorder levels ( = 0.17; = 0.010).

Conclusions: The rates of daily hardships and traumatic events are higher compared with those recorded for URMs living in asylum centres in Europe. The emotional, social and cognitive development of detained URMs is severely threatened in both the short and long term. This paper outlines some of the most detrimental effects of migration policies on URMs transiting through Libya.