Perceived Forcedness and Perils of Migration - Development and Validation of a Questionnaire for Migrants in Receiving Countries

A successful integration of refugees is a key challenge for many receiving countries. Existing research advocates refugees' levels of experienced migration forcedness and associated perils as a key factor in this process. However, a standardized measure for these experiences is yet lacking. We introduce the PMF-Mig, a new questionnaire that captures migrants’ experiences of migration forcedness and associated perils after arrival in the receiving country. Based on theoretical considerations and a qualitative interview study with N = 22 migrants (68% male, 32% female; M(age) = 33.73, SD(age) = 5.91), we developed an initial set of 14 items, which was further validated in an online study with N = 244 migrants (52% male, 47% female, 1% no information; M(age) = 37.37, SD(age) = 9.16). A confirmatory factor analysis supported the hypothesized four-dimensional factor structure, i.e., locus of causality, options for choice, pre-migration perils, and migration perils. In addition, results provided evidence for the reliability, construct validity, criterion validity, and sensitivity of the PMF-Mig. Overall, results support the PMF-Mig as a psychometrically sound measure. We discuss applications of this new measure in research and applied contexts.