ABSTRACT

Resettled refugees face pressure to integrate successfully into the culture of their resettlement country within a relatively short period of time. Though successful integration is important, research has shown that ethnic identity and participation in the ethnic culture of origin play a key role in supporting the mental health of resettled refugees. This paper presents a model that draws on social-cognitive theory, trauma theory, and models of second culture acquisition to reflect relationships between trauma, mental health, and self-efficacy. The model presents the concept of bicultural self-efficacy as a potential outcome measure for facilitating inter-disciplinary research and practice efforts.