Time and Resilience in the Refugee Experiences: Insights from Italy and Germany

Annalisa Busetta , University of Palermo
Daria Mendola, University of Palermo

Research on migration consistently highlights resilience as a key factor for migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Yet, little is known about how resilience varies across different age groups and its relationship to the length of stay in the host country. This study compares the Italian and German contexts to examine the role of time in shaping refugees’ resilience, focusing on whether high resilience differs by age at interview and whether it is associated with duration of residence. A logit model accounted for within-cluster correlation by nationality and controlled for factors that potentially enhance or undermine resilience (e.g., family relationships, labour market participation, social networks, experiences of discrimination). The analysis draws on the first two waves of the SOEP-IAB-BAMF survey and the Italian Refugees and Asylum Seekers Survey (ITRAS). Findings indicate that younger refugees exhibit lower levels of resilience than adults, and that, after controlling for other factors, longer residence in the host country is associated with lower resilience. This pattern suggests a possible “resilience deterioration” whereby prolonged exposure to stressors gradually erodes adaptive capacity. These results underscore the need for targeted policies that support both younger refugees and long term residents in preserving and strengthening individual agency, sustaining personal resources, and enhancing resilience, through integrated efforts in social integration, community engagement, and mental health support.

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 Presented in Session P4. Migration, Migrants, and Mobility