NAVIGATING NEW WORLDS: THE USE OF MOBILE TECHNOLOGY FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL ADAPTATION AND IDENTITY NEGOTIATION AMONG ASYLUM SEEKER
Downloads
Asylum seekers experience high levels of acculturative stress and identity disruption during the initial settlement phase, often overwhelming traditional, formal support systems. This research aimed to systematically investigate the dynamic role of mobile technology as a self-directed psychosocial resource that mediates psychological adaptation and facilitates identity negotiation. A quantitative, longitudinal study tracked 80 asylum seekers over a six-month period, utilizing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze digital trace data collected via the custom Digital Identity and Adaptation Index (DIAAI), alongside validated psychological scales (ASAS, COPE). Results confirmed a strong inverse relationship (beta = -0.45) between Host-Country Media Consumption and Acculturative Stress, validating information seeking as a primary coping mechanism. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated a successful pattern of bi-cultural identity negotiation, where active digital engagement with both the origin and host cultures simultaneously facilitated stress reduction and preserved cultural integrity. The study concludes that the mobile device is a crucial self-directed psychosocial resilience tool, challenging linear models of acculturation. This evidence-based framework justifies the integration of targeted mobile applications into humanitarian aid programs to enhance long-term psychological and integration outcomes.
Afzal, B., Mumtaz, N., Ur Rehman, S. S., & Saqulain, G. (2022). Teaching strategies for rehabilitation curriculum: Coping with the Covid-19 situation. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 72(5), 935–939. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.4220
Amendola, S., Spensieri, V., Biuso, G. S., & Cerutti, R. (2020). The relationship between maladaptive personality functioning and problematic technology use in adolescence: A cluster analysis approach. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 61(6), 809–818. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1111/sjop.12664
Arnetz, B. B. (1997). Technological stress: Psychophysiological aspects of working with modern information technology. Scand. J. Work Environ. Health, 23(SUPPL. 3), 97–103. Scopus. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0031456439&partnerID=40&md5=1b9f7c44c4595a9cfe528290e8c226b9
Barros, L., & Greffin, K. (2017). Supporting health-related parenting: A scoping review of programs assisted by the Internet and related technologies. Estudos de Psicologia (Campinas), 34(3), 331–344. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-02752017000300002
Bayona, E., Menacho, L., Segura, E. R., Mburu, G., Roman, F., Tristan, C., Bromley, E., & Cabello, R. (2017). The Experiences of Newly Diagnosed Men Who Have Sex with Men Entering the HIV Care Cascade in Lima, Peru, 2015-2016: A Qualitative Analysis of Counselor-Participant Text Message Exchanges. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 20(6), 389–396. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2016.0435
Bier, N., Paquette, G., & Macoir, J. (2018). Smartphone for smart living: Using new technologies to cope with everyday limitations in semantic dementia. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 28(5), 734–754. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/09602011.2015.1094395
Bruehlman-Senecal, E., Hook, C. J., Pfeifer, J. H., FitzGerald, C., Davis, B., Delucchi, K. L., Haritatos, J., & Ramo, D. E. (2020). Smartphone app to address loneliness among college students: Pilot randomized controlled trial. JMIR Mental Health, 7(10). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.2196/21496
Carissoli, C., Villani, D., Triberti, S., & Riva, G. (2016). User experience of BenEssere Mamma, a pregnancy app for women wellbeing. Annual Review of CyberTherapy and Telemedicine, 14, 195–198. Scopus.
Carrozzi, A., Chylinski, M., Heller, J., Hilken, T., Keeling, D. I., & de Ruyter, K. (2019). What’s Mine Is a Hologram? How Shared Augmented Reality Augments Psychological Ownership. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 48, 71–88. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2019.05.004
Casarez, R. L., Barlow, E., Iyengar, S. M., Soares, J. C., & Meyer, T. D. (2019). Understanding the role of m-health to improve well-being in spouses of patients with bipolar disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders, 250, 391–396. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.03.035
Chen, H., Wang, C., Lu, T., Tao, B., Gao, Y., & Yan, J. (2022). The Relationship between Physical Activity and College Students’ Mobile Phone Addiction: The Chain-Based Mediating Role of Psychological Capital and Social Adaptation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159286
Cornelius, G., Hodgson, W., Maguire, R., & Egan, K. (2025). Wearable Technology, Smart Home Systems, and Mobile Apps for the Self-Management of Patient Outcomes in Dementia Care: Systematic Review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 27. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.2196/65385
Crosier, B. S., Brian, R. M., & Ben-Zeev, D. (2016). Using facebook to reach people who experience auditory hallucinations. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 18(6). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5420
Ferguson, S., Friedland, D., & Woodberry, E. (2015). Smartphone technology: Gentle reminders of everyday tasks for those with prospective memory difficulties post-brain injury. Brain Injury, 29(5), 583–591. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.3109/02699052.2014.1002109
Frania, M., & Skop, K. (2023). TABLETS IN HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION AN EXPLORATION OF STUDENT PERSPECTIVES IN THE CONTEXT OF PERSONALITY TRAITS AND PROFESSIONAL PREFERENCES. Journal of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, 10(3), 208–217. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.15330/jpnu.10.3.208-217
Gilmore, A. K., Davidson, T. M., Leone, R. M., Wray, L. B., Oesterle, D. W., Hahn, C. K., Flanagan, J. C., Gill-Hopple, K., & Acierno, R. (2019). Usability testing of a mobile health intervention to address acute care needs after sexual assault. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(17). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16173088
Grassi, A., Gaggioli, A., & Riva, G. (2009). The green valley: The use of mobile narratives for reducing stress in commuters. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 12(2), 155–161. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2008.0156
Gustafson, D. H., Landucci, G., McTavish, F., Kornfield, R., Johnson, R. A., Mares, M.-L., Westergaard, R. P., Quanbeck, A., Alagoz, E., Pe-Romashko, K., Thomas, C., & Shah, D. (2016). The effect of bundling medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction with mHealth: Study protocol for a randomized clinical trial. Trials, 17(1). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-016-1726-1
Jayaraj, G., Cao, X., Horwitz, A., Rozwadowski, M., Shea, S., Hanauer, S. N., Hanauer, D. A., Tewari, M., Shedden, K., & Choi, S. W. (2025). Trends in Mental Health Outcomes of College Students Amid the Pandemic (Roadmap mHealth App): Longitudinal Observational Study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 27. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.2196/67627
Katz, J. E. (1997). Social and organizational consequences of wireless communications: A selective analysis of residential and business sectors in the United States. Telematics and Informatics, 14(3), 233–256. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0736-5853(97)00001-4
Kim, S., Aceti, M., Baroutsou, V., Buerki, N., Caiata-Zufferey, M., Cattaneo, M., Chappuis, P. O., Ciorba, F. M., Graffeo, R., Heinzelmann-Schwarz, V., Jeong, J., Jung, M. M., Kim, S.-W., Kim, J., Lim, M. C., Ming, C., Monnerat, C., Park, H. S., Park, S. H., … Katapodi, M. C. (2021). Using a tailored digital health intervention for family communication and cascade genetic testing in swiss and korean families with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer: Protocol for the dialogue study. JMIR Research Protocols, 10(6). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.2196/26264
Kowalski, R. M., Morgan, M., & Taylor, K. (2017). Stigma of mental and physical illness and the use of mobile technology. Journal of Social Psychology, 157(5), 602–610. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2016.1259981
Lightfoot, C. J., Wilkinson, T. J., Hadjiconstantinou, M., Graham-Brown, M., Barratt, J., Brough, C., Burton, J. O., Hainsworth, J., Johnson-Warrington, V., Martinez, M., Nixon, A. C., Pursey, V., Schreder, S., Vadaszy, N., Wilde, L., Willingham, F., Young, H. M. L., Yates, T., Davies, M. J., & Smith, A. C. (2022). The Codevelopment of “My Kidneys & Me”: A Digital Self-management Program for People With Chronic Kidney Disease. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(11). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.2196/39657
MacDougall, S., Buffett-Jerrott, S., Clark, S., Campbell, L. A., Murphy, A., & Wozney, L. (2021). Text message interventions in adolescent mental health and addiction services: Scoping review. JMIR Mental Health, 8(1). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.2196/16508
McClellan, C. B., Schatz, J., Puffer, E. S., Sanchez, C. E., Stancil, M. T., & Roberts, C. W. (2009). Use of handheld wireless technology for a home-based sickle cell pain management protocol. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 34(5), 564–573. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsn121
Nygård, L., & Starkhammar, S. (2007). The use of everyday technology by people with dementia living alone: Mapping out the difficulties. Aging and Mental Health, 11(2), 144–155. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607860600844168
Özkan ?at, S., & Yaman-Sözbir, ?. (2018). Use of mobile applications and blogs by pregnant women in Turkey and the impact on adaptation to pregnancy. Midwifery, 62, 273–277. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2018.04.001
Pasipanodya, E., Khong, C.-M., Dirlikov, B., Prutton, M., Held, M., & Shem, K. (2022). Telepsychology for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury: Protocol for a Randomized Control Study of Video-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, 28(4), 56–67. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.46292/sci22-00010
Paterson, C., Jones, M., Rattray, J., Lauder, W., & Nabi, G. (2016). What is the mechanism effect that links social support to coping and psychological outcome within individuals affected by prostate cancer? Real time data collection using mobile technology. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 21, 126–133. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2015.09.002
Pauly, T., Lüscher, J., Wilhelm, L. O., Amrein, M. A., Boateng, G., Kowatsch, T., Fleisch, E., Bodenmann, G., & Scholz, U. (2024). Using Wearables to Study Biopsychosocial Dynamics in Couples Who Cope With a Chronic Health Condition: Ambulatory Assessment Study. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 12. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.2196/49576
Petruik, C., Mack, C., Conway, J., Buchholz, H., & van Manen, M. (2017). Talking with caregivers of children living in the community with ventricular assist devices. Pediatric Transplantation, 21(7). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1111/petr.13049
Susimenko, E., Gura, A., Rakhmanova, A., & Butylchenko, O. (2025). The influence of mobile communication technologies in long-term e-learning. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 14(3), 1904–1915. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v14i3.29863
Torres, J. M., & Casey, J. A. (2017). The centrality of social ties to climate migration and mental health. BMC Public Health, 17(1). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4508-0
van Doorn, M., Nijhuis, L. A., Monsanto, A., van Amelsvoort, T., Popma, A., Jaspers, M. W. M., Noordzij, M. L., Öry, F. G., Alvarez-Jimenez, M., & Nieman, D. H. (2022). Usability, Feasibility, and Effect of a Biocueing Intervention in Addition to a Moderated Digital Social Therapy-Platform in Young People With Emerging Mental Health Problems: A Mixed-Method Approach. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.871813
Wegner, L., Haucke, M. N., Heinzel, S., & Liu, S. (2022). Smartphone-Based Ecological Momentary Assessment of Coping with Loneliness amid COVID-19 in Germany. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(7). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19073946
Wells, E. J. (2018). Overview: The medieval senses. In The Oxf. Handb. Of Later Medieval Archaeology in Br. (pp. 681–696). Oxford University Press; Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198744719.013.30
Copyright (c) 2025 Nur Hasan, Oumar Traore, Aissatou Coulibaly
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
