Vol. 1 No. 1 (2025)

Research Articles

Mental Health and Social Isolation among Sub‑Saharan African Migrants in Tunisia: A Cross‑Sectional Quantitative Study {under peer review}

Published 25-08-2025 — Updated on 30-12-2025

  • Dr. Zyed Achour

Dr. Zyed Achour
University of Carthage

Abstract

Background: Sub-Saharan African migrants in Tunisia face multiple psychosocial stressors affecting their mental health, yet quantitative evidence on psychological distress in this population remains scarce.

Objective: This exploratory study aimed to: (1) document self-reported symptom levels across multiple psychological dimensions, (2) examine the association between social isolation and depression, (3) identify variations by sociodemographic and migration-related characteristics, and (4) describe distinct symptom-resource profiles through cluster analysis.

Methods: Between March and June 2025, 98 Sub-Saharan migrants were recruited through time-location and convenience sampling in Greater Tunis. Structured interviews assessed depression, anxiety, social isolation, acculturative stress, and psychosocial resources using 6-item composite scales. Analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, t-tests, ANOVA, and k-means clustering.

Results: Mean symptom scores fell above theoretical scale midpoints: depression (M=17.6/30, SD=3.8), anxiety (M=18.4/30, SD=4.0), and social isolation (M=17.9/30, SD=3.9). Social isolation correlated moderately with depression (r=0.47, p<.001). Men reported higher depression than women (M=18.4 vs 16.8, p=.018, d=0.46). No differences emerged by length of residence or legal status. Cluster analysis identified four profiles: severe distress with low resilience (n=24), moderate distress with adequate resources (n=26), low symptoms with high resilience (n=27), and high distress with modest resources (n=21).

Conclusions: Sub-Saharan migrants in Tunisia report psychological symptom levels above scale midpoints, with social isolation strongly associated with depression and men showing unexpected vulnerability. The persistence of distress regardless of residence duration suggests structural rather than adjustment-related origins. Four distinct symptom-resource profiles highlight heterogeneity requiring differentiated intervention approaches. Findings underscore the need for gender-sensitive, community-based mental health support and policies addressing legal precarity.

 

Keywords

migration, mental health, social isolation, acculturative stress, resilience, North Africa, clustering analysis

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Author Biography

Dr. Zyed Achour

Department of Labor Sciences, National Institute of Labor and Social Studies, University of Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia, ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1578-9062 

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