The immigration experience of Latin American families: Research and action on perceived risk and protective factors

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, to contribute to the understanding of risk and protective factors involved in the adaptation of immigrants and refugees. Second, to report on a collaborative, community-driven, action research project. Both goals were incorporated into a conceptual framework aimed at integrating general knowledge on the topic with the unique experiences of a group of refugees, for the purpose of generating action. The study began addressing three weaknesses of the literature: (a) the lack of investigations on the adaptation of immigrant and refugee children, (b) the need to explore protective mechanisms within refugee families, and (c) the paucity of unity between research and practice.