The role of sport in coping and resilience amongst resettled South Sudanese youth in Australia.

This article examined the use of sport as a coping strategy by South Sudanese youth in Melbourne, Australia who have suffered the trauma of forced migration. The study also explored the relationship between sport in particular basketball and how the youth use participation in sport as a strategy to cope with the stressors of their lives. The research used qualitative methods of in-depth semi-structured interviews, focus groups and community forums and was underpinned by the psychosocial conceptual framework. The data collected was analysed using thematic analysis. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with youth aged 14 to 21 years and focus groups conducted with parents and community elders. The results from interview analysis were shared with the wider South Sudanese community through two community forums. Some themes drawn from the analysis included living with trauma, mental health and culture, racial discrimination and use of sport as a coping strategy. The findings also highlighted sport as a diversion from drug and alcohol misuse, potential criminal activity and as a mechanism to enhance self-worth. The study also indicated there was a lack of culturally appropriate mental health interventions for these young people and that they display a great deal of resilience to develop their own ways to deal with the trauma they had experienced. The research recommends further research to be conducted to identify the impacts of sport on mental health and how this can be incorporated into interventions for South Sudanese youth and young people from similar forced migration backgrounds.