Farnaz Shahimi

Name: Farnaz Shahimi

Title: The Childhood Resilience and Sense of Identity among Afghans with a Refugee Background: A Social-Ecological Perspective

Centre: Child and Community Wellbeing Unit (CCW), Centre for Health Equity

Supervisors: Dr Karen Block - A/Prof Eva Alisic

Advisory Committee: A/Prof Cathy Vaghaun

Abstract: During recent decades, studies of resilience have shown that as an individual factor, having a positive sense of identity is a predictor of resilient coping strategies among children with a refugee background. However, little attention has been paid to the influence of family, community, and society on the child’s perception of resilience factors and sense of identity. This research aims to provide a better understanding of how Afghans with a refugee background perceive resilience and identity during their childhood with a focus on their post-migration experiences in Australia.

Bio: Farnaz is a Graduate Researcher at the Child and Community Wellbeing Unit. She has a background in clinical psychology and has worked as psychosocial counsellor for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Iran. She is interested in social-ecological factors that influence resilience and sense of identity among children with refugee background after resettlement.