Status and Predictors of Mental Health Symptoms Among Migrants and Refugees During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Migrants and refugees are vulnerable subgroups in general with regards to symptoms of psychopathology. Furthermore, recent calls for paper urge investigation on current mental health status of migrants and refugees during the pandemic, as different barriers such as lack of emotional support from relatives, in addition to language barriers potentially impairing comprehension about the pandemic having the chance to increase symptoms of psychopathology such as anxiety and depression. This study seeks to investigate the levels of mental health symptoms (i.e., depression, general anxiety, and health anxiety) among immigrants and refugees in Norway during the COVID-19 pandemic. Demographic factors will be investigated to identify subgroups with increased risk of meeting clinically significant depression and anxiety symptoms, as established by validated cut-offs to be elaborated below. Furthermore, transdiagnostic predictors which may prove as useful intervention targets will be investigated.