THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURE AND CONTEXT ON THE PRE-MIGRATION AND POST-MIGRATION EXPERIENCE OF SCHOOL-AGED REFUGEES FROM CENTRAL-AMERICA, AND SOUTHEAST-ASIA IN CANADA

Pre- and post-migration contexts of refugee children from Central Amer ica and Southeast Asia were compared. The results suggest that the cul ture of origin radically modulates the relationship between the pre-mi gration experience and the developing post-migration universe. In the case of the Central American children, the state-sponsored violence su ffered in the country of origin is strongly associated with subsequent family conflicts, whereas in the case of the Southeast Asians, confli ct is associated with an active social network in the community of ori gin, suggesting that there is;a delicate balance between the support p rovided and the burden imposed by the extended family. (C) 1997 Elsevi er Science Ltd.