At this intersection of psychology, morality, ethics, and legality lies a deep humanitarian crisis caused by psychological suffering faced by imprisoned children and immigrants in such places. In contemporary times, as the migrant phenomenon gets higher, the world confronts the highest level of misery at international borders through the detention of the worst victims—children in the worst situations. The importance of highlighting this unsettling practice should be emphasized here, as well as looking into numerous gaps in the previous studies specifically related to the level and type of mental stress that these kids have experienced. Research like this has taken an emergency status because it is crucial in shaping social policies and determining national or state mental health programs. The study attempts to evoke empathic comprehension of the psychological torture undergone by child inmates through precise description. Additionally, the study confirms that policymakers and mental health practitioners devise the most useful health-focused interventions for children in tougher periods. Hence, this forms a crucial duty that outruns an ordinary school task but responds with quickness and sensitivity of address.
Statement of Problem
Comprehensive research is required on the serious effects of the mind related to children’s incarceration. The circumstances where they can create fear and seclusion are as per Van Meeteren and Bannink (2019). They may lead to many mental injuries ranging from mild forms of anxiety and minor depression to the severe condition known as PTSD. LeBaron and Crane stated that they were separated from their families. Locked up in strange places without any promise of assurance traumatizes the young detainees even after their release from detention. The purpose of this study is to identify the essential features of this type of mental trauma, which remains underrated within the current academic literature. Correction of this oversight requires understanding what these children go through psychologically, which is key to crafting interventions aimed at shielding their mental well-being and giving them a promising future.
Unfortunately, the prevailing conditions in the immigrant detention centers significantly defy the stipulated child welfare as well as psychological good practices. Children need such stable environments as this is part of their developmental needs. This harms prison conditions such as bare, harsh ones (Van Meeteren & Bannink, 2019). However, the contrast between what research says is necessary for healthy childhood development—stability, emotional support, and educational stimulation—and the actual circumstances of detention are stunning. Inconsistency also compounds the danger of going against healthy living organizations and psychiatric professionals. The environment of detention centers to these standards will be closely examined and comparatively analyzed in this work. It will draw attention to structural deficiencies while calling for comprehensive changes under an infant-oriented policy on custody that complies with the principles of psychological assistance.
Importance of the Study
This study is very important because it tackles the painful mental wounds of immigrant kids who are confined and whose story is told urgently with mercy. Research about the implications of their distressful encounters can inform support systems development and may drive a policy change. As Yan (2013) asserted, this study also serves as a moral guide pointing towards a common obligation to protect these children. It motivates other scholars to be informed of their treatment, which should be based on empathy and backed up by psychological knowledge. To that end, comprehending their trauma comes as the starting point for developing a caring and fair approach.
The findings of this study will certainly be highly influential in reforming policies and also in the effectiveness of intervention strategies that target detained adolescent immigrants suffering from mental illnesses. Expected contributions, as highlighted in Abualkibash’s work, include informing evidence-based policy reform that centers on children within detention protocols. Furthermore, it will point out particular mental health problems for which tailored therapeutic interventions would be developed to change the context of psychological help for these children and youths. It will provide a structure for more research, ensuring that other scholars continue investigating such an important issue, which is likely to have negative impacts on those already depressed mentally.
Definitions of some key terms and theories
Key terms
- Mental Trauma: PTSD symptoms that persist for a long period following stressful events, leading to mental injuries.
- Detention Conditions: Detention centers’ facilities, treatment, and care standards.
- However, temporary shelters afforded to displaced people during their sufferings in war and calamity are never enough for the dignity of humankind, for no life must ever be taken as being worthless.
- The practices and procedures for child protection and promotion in the child welfare system should guarantee a healthy upbringing for these children.
- Psychological Best Practices: Mental health care services at their best.
- These severe stress reactions are normally caused by severe cases of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders resulting from extremely traumatic experiences.
- Developmental Psychology: The study of human development and behavior dynamics across the life span.
- Immigration Policy: Rules concerning entry of aliens and their stay in a government.
- Resilience: The ability of an individual to bounce back psychologically after stress or distress.
- Acculturation Stress: Culturally-induced stress.
Theories
Appreciating the finesse in psychological distress and unfolding thereof among child detainees is only possible if approached with the combined insights drawn from multiple disciplines. Attachment theory occupies a central place in the discourse around how detained children suffer due to the disturbance of the secure bonds and the possible long-term psychological effects to follow. Aziani et al. 2019 show that developmental psychopathology provides a clue on how adverse situations prevent normal psychosocial milestones, leading to the development of trauma reactions among children like anxiety and depression. The theory of ecological systems advanced by Bronfenbrenner highlights other relevant environmental contexts, including layered surrounding circumstances that influence the growth and development of a child. The abnormal microsystem—a child’s immediate environment—can affect cognitive and emotional stability in refugee camps or detention centers (LeBaron & Crane, 2018).
Relevance to the field of psychology
This literature review promises to shed light on various issues related to psychology, especially on the importance of long-term imprisonment as a childhood stressor. This study will bring out the systematic analysis of past studies that have not adequately examined the harsh psychological experiences of immigrant children held in detention. Exploring the subtle aspects of this trauma will further elaborate on the elements of resilience, effective coping mechanisms, and the overall effectiveness of trauma-focused therapy. These include promoting new deliberations on children-oriented legislation and mental care delivery models in correctional environments (Yan, 2013). It offers an alternative perspective to discussing the ecological model of infant growth and development. Cultivating awareness of what works in prevention science to diminish trauma effects could create a generation of psychologists who will know how to advocate for evidence-based, multi-cultural/ethnically sensitive, and ethical approaches.
This investigation will tread into unfamiliar waters for the psychology field, as it details just what effects imprisonment has upon the psyche of a juvenile immigrant. However, subsequent studies should focus on developing age-appropriate therapeutic models that target psychological stressors unique to this particular subcategory of vulnerable children. This research will also bring out new predictors of resilience, which can be used to increase psychological well-being under adverse environments. The information obtained may also help design protective efforts and anti-distress initiatives in these detention areas. The study allows us to actively anticipate any shortcomings of the mental healthcare system by recommending evidence-based improvement of all the following measures. This anticipated ripple effect of this research is that there will be a change in more humanity in crisis in children and science-based practices.
Relevance to Student’s Professional Interests
The findings of this research ring closely to my dreams of being a pediatric trauma clinical psychologist. My sense of ethics is to advocate on behalf of stigmatized people, where I use research to advocate for effective prevention measures. My goal in taking this work is to learn to be subtle about the issue of imprisonment of immigrant children as it is an area in which I intend to involve myself professionally. Moreover, such information will be crucial in developing therapies with cultural, systemic, and developmental sensitivity.
This study will be very important as I look toward my child and adolescent therapy career. Additionally, this study aims to enhance my abilities to critically analyze and apply an evidence-based approach, which are important skills for any practicing psychologist. Additionally, I will be equipped to practice compassion and empathy in research by understanding clients’ emotions and engaging deeply with them, which will help me offer more informed therapy-based treatment that is inclusive and relational.
Conclusion
The main goal of this paper is to highlight the devastating mental suffering suffered by the refugee kids held in custody. This overlooked area needs scholarly attention as well as state intervention. The study uses a comprehensive literature review in order to understand other scholars’ studies, current psychosocial problems among incarcerated children, and what areas require more attention in order better to assess the psychological well-being of children in custody. The anticipated impact of this research is multifaceted: it aims to inform psychological theory, practices, policy reforms, and finally, to improve the living standard for affected children. This is a matter that comes with heavy consequences. It moves the discipline of psychology in academics and adds humanitarian concerns to empirical analysis. The study is aimed at humanizing the suffering experienced by these children for wider society and mobilizing stakeholders towards children’s mental health. This work underscores the importance of ensuring that psychosocial support is made equally available to all children without consideration for their immigration standing.
References
Abualkibash, M. (2017). A study on the importance of cyber security in an undergraduate cyber security program. International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology, 06(09), 97-100. https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2017.0609017
Aziani, A., Berlusconi, G., & Giommoni, L. (2019). A quantitative application of enterprise and social Embeddedness theories to the transnational trafficking of cocaine in Europe. Deviant Behavior, 42(2), 245-267. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.2019.1666606
LeBaron, G., & Crane, A. (2018). Methodological challenges in the business of forced labor. Researching Forced Labour in the Global Economy, pp. 25–43. https://doi.org/10.5871/bacad/9780197266472.003.0002
Shenge, N. A., & Adu, R. A. (2017). Meaning, relevance, and prospects of psychology: A survey of undergraduate students of the University of Ibadan. Edorium Journal of Psychology, 4(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.5348/p13-2017-12-oa-3
Spijkers, F. E. (n.d.). Mental health outcomes of immigrant and non-immigrant youth in New Zealand: Exploring the immigrant paradox. https://doi.org/10.26686/wgtn.16993495
Van Meeteren, M., & Bannink, S. (2019). A transnational Field approach to the study of labor trafficking. The Palgrave International Handbook of Human Trafficking, 1751-1763. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63058-8_104
Yan, Z. (2013). The science of cyber behavior. International Journal of Cyber Behavior, Psychology and Learning, 3(2), 82–87. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijcbpl.2013040106
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