Resiliency and vulnerability: voices of immigrant youth and parents who cope with migratory transition.

Unlike ‘deficit models’ emphasizing negative consequences and immigrants’ maladjustment in countries of resettlement, the salutogenic perspective focuses on psychosocial resources and capacities that people and groups can mobilize to face stressors and challenges. The salutogenic point of view emerged from ecological and family-oriented migration studies and led to a greater interest towards relational, longterm, and protective processes capable of supporting migrant individuals, families and communities across resettlement phases. Using Italian data from the EU-funded MIMY project (EMpowerment through liquid Integration of Migrant Youth in vulnerable conditions, Horizon 2020) and referring to a multidimensional and processual framework on migrants’ integration and vulnerability (Spini et al., 2017), the current study aimed at collecting and exploring voices, opinions, beliefs, cultural representations about the meaning of vulnerability (stress and resources) adopting the perspective of people who migrate. The study deployed a qualitative methodology based on focus group interviews: 4 FGs involving TCN male and female migrant youth (age range: 18- 29 years) and 2 FGs involving TNC immigrant parents (age range: 40-55 years) have been conducted to explore attitudes, thoughts and opinions about integration and challenges faced by migrant youth in Italy. Thematic analysis carried out on FGs transcripts permitted to identify several themes and subthemes related to conceptualization of vulnerability and integration (perceived obstacles and resources), revealing interesting commonalities across participants, and also underscoring gender and generational differences. What has helped and hindered over time in building young migrants’ lives in the context of migration will be discussed by reference to five main interrelated dimensions (cultural, linguistic, professional, living conditions, and psychological) that emerged from the focus group interviews.