Trust Amongst Refugees in Resettlement Settings: a Systematic Scoping Review and Thematic Analysis of the Literature

Abstract

Trust is of particular relevance to refugee populations, given the adverse, often protracted and liminal nature of the refugee journey. What trust means, how it shapes and is shaped by this journey, is crucially important for this population group and it can vary substantially. The extent, range and nature of research activity in this area are limited; this article therefore reports on a systematic scoping review that explored trust amongst refugees and asylum seekers in resettlement settings. Studies were included if they were primary research and explored trust amongst refugees and asylum seekers in a resettlement context and excluded if trust was not a major focus of the study (i.e. a number of studies were excluded that explored related concepts, such as social capital), if the study did not identify participants as refugees or asylum seekers or the study examined trust in a transitory setting. Following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 24 studies remained, which were reviewed and analysed. Sixteen studies used qualitative methods, six used quantitative methods and one used mixed methods. Trust was presented as fundamentally relational, taking shape between and within refugees, asylum seekers and others. Trust was also presented as temporal and contextual, across refugee journeys, hardships experienced and resettlement. A major theme was the fundamental need in resettlement for a restoration of lost or damaged trust.