Brexit vote linked to rise in discrimination and anxiety among migrants

The social climate in the UK following the European Union (EU) referendum has had a detrimental impact on migrants' mental health, according to a new study led by UCL. The study, published today in the  American Psychological Association's  Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psycholog y, suggests that the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum has contributed to a rise in discrimination and anxiety amongst migrants living in the UK. The findings show that migrants who live in areas of the UK with higher percentages of 'leave' supporters are more likely to experience discrimination than those who live in areas with fewer 'leave' voters. Their increased experiences of discrimination over time were, in turn, associated with increased symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), including a three-fold increase in the likelihood of experiencing clinically significant symptoms. Lead author, Dr David Frost (UCL Department of Social Science), said: "There has been widespread concern that the result of the Brexit referendum has created feelings of alienation, anxiety, and uncertainty about the future for migrants living in the UK. "Until now, no research had directly examined these concerns. We wanted to see if there was in fact systematic evidence for these concerns by surveying migrants living across the UK using established measures.