Communal Agency Across the Life Course: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Resettlement Stress Among Refugees From Burma in the United States

Resettled refugees experience chronic stress as they navigate adaptation across the life course, often within communal frameworks that emphasize collective responsibility, interdependence, and shared identity. This study examines how refugees from communally oriented cultures make meaning of resettlement stress, drawing on interpretative phenomenological analysis to analyze the narratives of 13 participants, representing different adult life course stages, from five ethnic groups forcibly displaced from Burma and resettled in the United States. Findings highlight the centrality of communal processes in structuring adaptation, as participants described resettlement stress, not as an individual burden but as a collective experience negotiated through intergenerational role shifts, communal support networks, and shared responsibilities. Younger adults assumed roles as cultural brokers, navigating institutions on behalf of their families, while older adults relied on communal ties to sustain well-being in resettlement. Participants’ experiences underscore how adaptation unfolds within collective, rather than solely individual, trajectories, reinforcing the need for culturally congruent mental health and social support interventions. These findings extend life course theory by demonstrating how communal resilience operates across historical time and place, shaping intergenerational strategies for adaptation. Implications emphasize group-based mental health interventions that align with communal coping strategies, investment in youth leadership programs to support cultural brokers, and community-engaged translational research to co-develop sustainable, capacity-building initiatives that empower resettled communities. By centering communal adaptation and agency, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of how resettled refugees sustain resilience and well-being beyond individual frameworks.