Eritrean Asylum Seekers in Israel: Traumatic Experience, Social Contacts with Eritreans and Israelis, Psychological Well-Being, and Sociocultural Adaptation

In this study, we examined the connections between exposure to traumatic events, contacts with the majority society and the ethnic group, psychological well-being, and sociocultural adaptation among Eritrean asylum seekers in Israel (n = 132). The obtained results demonstrate the long-term destructive effect of exposure to traumatic events on the psychological well-being but not necessarily on the sociocultural adaptation of asylum seekers and emphasize the need for accessible mental health services for this population. Moreover, our findings highlight the importance of positive social contacts with the majority society for the psychological well-being and sociocultural adaptation of asylum seekers.