Minori non accompagnati e bullismo etnico-religioso. Uno studio preliminare

[Autom. eng. transl.] Introduction. Mental health is an essential aspect linked to well-being. Recent research has reported that the mental well-being of unaccompanied minors is often characterized by psychological fragility. The study aims to investigate the mental well-being of unaccompanied foreign minors (MSNA) compared to peers born in Italy and to investigate the role of friendship as a protective factor. Method. The sample is made up of 79 women aged between 14 and 16, of Islamic religion, from North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, and an age-matched control group. The study analyzed the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), emotional and behavioral problems, self-esteem, friendships and popularity, bullying and victimization. Results. Unaccompanied minors reported a troubling level of PTSD, more peer relationship problems, and more psychosomatic problems than the control group. These minors also pointed out a lower self-esteem, both in regards the school environment, and in the context of interpersonal relationships. The differences between the groups can be explained mainly in reference to the quality of relationships, the number of friends, the episodes of bullying / victimization among peers, bullying also with reference to religious affiliation. Discussion. The results indicate that unaccompanied minors are at various levels of risk. Social relationships, especially the quality of the friend network and the number of friends seem to have played a very important protective role. On the contrary, having been bullied was an important risk factor, with respect to various problems of these minors.