A aprendizagem da língua portuguesa e a sua importância para a integração e bem-estar das pessoas refugiadas em Portugal

Abstract

Forced migrations are an increasingly current issue, where countless people flee their country in search of asylum (Vieira et al., 2017). For better integration and cross-cultural adaptation, reception policies were created (Khoury, 2019). This study will focus on one of them, namely learning the language of the host country, with the main objective of understanding and exploring the importance of learning the language of the host country in the process of integration and psychological well-being of refugees. The qualitative approach allowed the analysis of 173 visits memories reports, written by volunteers who accompanied three families welcomed by MEERU. The results showed the importance of learning the Portuguese language in the process of integration and psychological well-being of refugees in Portugal. However, there were obstacles to learning and, therefore, consequences in different dimensions in the daily lives of refugees, from access to the labor market, education, health, communication, to the handling of bureaucracy. The use of translation tools and technologies emerge as ways to suppress interaction difficulties. There are even factors that encourage the learning of the language in refugees, which help in a later psychological well-being, as well as the existence of a mutual integration between the refugee and local population.

Date of Award	14 Oct 2022
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Mariana Barbosa (Supervisor)