“We came to this country for the future of our children. We have no future”: Acculturative stress among Iraqi refugees in the United States

Individuals from Iraq form one of the largest groups of refugees and asylum seekers in the United States in the recent years following the decade long war in the region. Yet, the experiences of these refugee families in a new country offering sanctuary to them are largely unknown, and often ignored. Utilizing a mixed methods approach, this study explored experiences of refugees from Iraq and evaluated experiences related to acculturation in the United States among a purposive sample of 154 Iraqi refugees in two separate communities. Findings suggest existing social isolation, language barriers, religious and ethnic persecution among Iraqi refugees. These barriers contributed to sustained hopelessness and distress where participants fail to visualize a future of their own. Implications include suggestions for policy and practice guidelines designed for federal and non-governmental organizations engaged in assistance of immigrants/refugees in their transition.