TABLE 2—
Problems and Protective Resources Among Somali Bantu and Bhutanese Refugees Living in the Greater Boston and Springfield, MA, Area Between 2011 and 2014
| Variables | Youths, No. (%) | Adults, No. (%) | Total, No. (%) |
| Somali Bantu | |||
| Problem | |||
| Financial problems | 10 (50) | 11 (55) | 21 (53) |
| Kids losing their religious education; no madrassa | 10 (50) | 6 (30) | 16 (40) |
| Trouble with homework | 7 (35) | 9 (45) | 16 (40) |
| Language difficulties for parents | 8 (40) | 6 (30) | 14 (35) |
| Problems with housing | 7 (35) | 7 (35) | 14 (35) |
| Children don’t listen to parents, have bad friends | 10 (50) | 4 (20) | 14 (35) |
| School work difficult; worried won’t graduate | 5 (25) | 7 (35) | 12 (30) |
| Need a job; lack of jobs; don’t know how to get a job | 5 (25) | 5 (25) | 10 (25) |
| Language difficulties for children | 4 (20) | 6 (30) | 10 (25) |
| Young and old need education; no place to study | 1 (5) | 8 (40) | 9 (23) |
| No one to watch kids or taking care of children | 2 (10) | 7 (35) | 9 (23) |
| Protective resources | |||
| Somali Bantu community organization or other local community organizations | 6 (30) | 10 (50) | 16 (40) |
| Maay Maay translators | 5 (25) | 10 (50) | 15 (38) |
| Somali Bantu community support and strength | 9 (45) | 4 (20) | 13 (33) |
| Teachers, school counselor, principal, teacher–parent working together | 5 (25) | 5 (25) | 10 (25) |
| Friends | 1 (5) | 9 (45) | 10 (25) |
| Call others in the community with good English to translate and help with paperwork | 7 (35) | 2 (10) | 9 (23) |
| Government benefits, welfare, food stamps, housing subsidies | 2 (10) | 6 (30) | 8 (20) |
| Hospitals or doctors | 3 (15) | 4 (20) | 7 (18) |
| After-school tutors and programs to help with homework or help children learn English | 6 (30) | 1 (5) | 7 (18) |
| Talk to parents about what is happening and get help | 5 (25) | 2 (10) | 7 (18) |
| Bhutanese | |||
| Problem | |||
| Language difficulties | 24 (80) | 27 (84) | 51 (82) |
| Financial problems | 8 (27) | 13 (41) | 21 (34) |
| Bullying or teasing | 12 (40) | 6 (19) | 18 (29) |
| Difficulty with homework | 9 (30) | 6 (19) | 15 (24) |
| Distance to school or no school bus | 7 (23) | 7 (22) | 14 (23) |
| Lack of friends | 4 (13) | 7 (21) | 11 (18) |
| Fighting | 6 (20) | 4 (13) | 10 (16) |
| Fear or scared | 7 (23) | 3 (9) | 10 (16) |
| Loneliness | 3 (10) | 5 (16) | 8 (13) |
| Depressed or sad | 3 (10) | 5 (16) | 8 (13) |
| Protective resources | |||
| Bhutanese community members | 13 (43) | 15 (47) | 28 (45) |
| Parents or family—advise children, help with school work | 13 (44) | 12 (38) | 28 (45) |
| Refugee or immigrant service organizations | 10 (34) | 13 (41) | 23 (37) |
| Government programs—SSI, EBT, MassHealth | 5 (17) | 12 (38) | 17 (27) |
| Friends—play with friends, share problems, help with homework | 13 (44) | 4 (13) | 17 (27) |
| Relatives—financial help, help with homework, mediate conflicts | 11 (37) | 5 (16) | 16 (26) |
| Neighbors—help with homework, financial help, give advice | 4 (13) | 8 (25) | 12 (20) |
| Teachers—help with studies, language, resolve fights, encourage | 4 (13) | 5 (16) | 9 (15) |
| Local hospital | 6 (20) | 2 (6) | 8 (13) |
| Interpreters | . . . | 5 (16) | 5 (8) |
Note. EBT = electronic benefit transfer; SSI = Supplemental Security Income.