DETERMINANTS OF WELL-BEING IN TRANSNATIONAL FAMILIES: A SCOPING REVIEW OF THE EUROPEAN CONTEXT Odrednice dobrobiti u transnacionalnim obiteljima: pregled europskoga konteksta
Drustvena Istrazivanja, vol.35, no.1, pp.7-29, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Review
- Volume: 35 Issue: 1
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.5559/di.35.1.01
- Journal Name: Drustvena Istrazivanja
- Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Central & Eastern European Academic Source (CEEAS), Political Science Complete, Directory of Open Access Journals, Political Science Abstract (IPSA), East & Central Europe Database (ProQuest), Social Science Premium Collection (ProQuest), Sociology Database (ProQuest), Sociology Source Ultimate (EBSCO)
- Page Numbers: pp.7-29
- Keywords: Europe, migration, transnational families, well-being
- Ankara Haci Bayram Veli University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Transnational families (TNFs) are a growing demographic in Europe, yet no scoping review has systematically mapped the multilevel determinants shaping their well-being across Europe's diverse welfare regimes. This review addresses that gap. A systematic search of Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and PsycINFO identified 42 peer-reviewed articles published in English (2014-2024) focusing on TNFs in Europe and addressing well-being. Guided by the transnational ecological systems framework, thematic analysis organised findings into four levels from proximal to distal: (1) Individual-level determinants, (2) Family & community-level determinants, (3) Institutional & policy-level determinants and (4) Societal & structural determinants. Findings demonstrate that well-being in TNFs emerges from the transaction between individual agency and structural environments, filtered through diverse European welfare regimes. These findings call for a shift from nationally centred service models towards transnational competence in social work practice and inclusive policies recognising cross-border caregiving. Future research should prioritise participatory approaches and address the geographical bias towards Western and Northern European contexts.