INTERNALIZED AND EXTERNALIZED BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS WITH IMMIGRANTS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTHEAST AFRICA

Abstract

The European immigration crisis in 2015 is the name of the migration of the inhabitants of African and Asian countries to the countries of the European Union. Immigrants were initially from countries affected by the war conditions of Iraq and Syria, but over time, economic immigrants from other Asian and African economically underdeveloped countries also joined the emergency immigrants (UNHCR, 2015). Recognizing and adequately categorizing internalized and externalized problems among newly arrived immigrants in a particular, new environment in primary health and social care is difficult due to language differences and specific stressors that come with settling and living in a new environment. The aim of the study was to examine the presence of internalized and externalized behavioral problems in children and young immigrants. The sample of the study includes 100 respondents, immigrants, and locals, of different gender, ages, countries of origin, and other demographic factors. The survey was conducted at the St Andrew Church Refugee Service and online for anonymity in Egypt, Cairo. Data were collected by the ASEBA Youth SelfReport - YSR questionnaire. The results of the research after statistical analysis of the examined parameters, as one of the most important indicators of the existence of mental illness of immigrants, found that the immigrant subpopulation has more internalized and externalized behavioral problems compared to the domicile population.