Bridging Neuroscience, Settlement, and Wellbeing

The Hidden Impacts of Post-Migration Stress: Brains and Barriers

Understanding refugee trauma and recovery requires looking at both the complex biological impacts of stress and the broader socio-cultural systems that shape settlement. While pre-migration trauma is widely recognised, emerging research highlights that the post-migration environment is just as critical to long-term wellbeing.

To effectively support refugees to recover and thrive, current research indicates a pressing need to examine both the neurobiological mechanisms triggered by ongoing uncertainty and the practical barriers affecting youth settlement outcomes

The Biological Footprint of Post-Migration Stress

Post-migration stressors play a critical role in shaping long-term mental health. Professor Belinda Liddell, ARC Future Fellow and Deputy Director of the Refugee Trauma and Recovery Program at UNSW Sydney, is leading crucial neuroimaging (fMRI) research in this area.

Collaborative studies involving UNSW, the University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, and STARTTS have revealed specific biological responses to post-settlement challenges:

• Visa Insecurity & Brain Function: Ongoing visa uncertainty directly alters functional connectivity within brain networks.
• Family Separation & Emotion: Attachment significantly influences emotional processing in individuals separated from their families.
• Social Exclusion: Social rejection impacts neural responses, and ongoing insecurity affects intrinsic coping mechanisms.

These findings point to new ways of rethinking how therapeutic interventions and settlement policies can better support refugees.

Exploring the Path to Successful Youth Settlement

A socially inclusive society relies on supporting every member to participate equitably. However, refugee and migrant young people face distinct challenges that increase their risk of psychosocial and behavioural difficulties.

Professor Tahereh Ziaian, a Community Health Psychologist at the University of Adelaide and UNESCO RILA affiliate, explores the factors that promote successful settlement. Sharing insights from her major ARC-funded project, Rebuilding Life after Migration for Young Refugees and Migrants, she addresses why many young people do not access early support services.

Her research provides crucial insights, including:

• International Comparisons: In-depth examinations of youth settlement experiences across Australia, Canada, and the United States.
• Barriers to Support: How sociocultural factors, service provider skills, and policy constraints affect access to healthcare.
• Practical Recommendations: Evidence-based principles to improve service delivery across settlement, mental health, and social services.

Dive Deeper at the 2026 STARTTS Symposium

Whether you are a clinician, service provider, policy maker, or researcher, this is a valuable opportunity to engage directly with leading researchers working at the intersection of academic study, community advocacy, and policy reform.

Attendees will gain access to clear, practical evidence to inform their daily work, learning how to effectively translate this evidence across clinical, community, and social service settings.

Register for the Symposium Here