Bearing the Wait: An Exploration of the Relationship between Procedural Justice and Wellbeing Among Asylum Seekers in Dutch Asylum Centers

Abstract This study explores the relationship between asylum seekers' perception of justice and legitimacy of the Dutch asylum procedure and their wellbeing during their stay in the asylum seekers' centers. It addresses the concerns raised by the growing number of asylum seekers and the prolonged asylum procedures, while focussing on their overall wellbeing and perceptions of procedural fairness. The dataset used is derived from an earlier study named the Legasy project. Through primarily statistical research, complemented by qualitative research techniques, the bivariate relationships are examined between the indicators of wellbeing and legitimacy. The results show a positive correlation between mental health, procedural justice and distributive justice. More specifically, a marginal significant correlation is revealed between procedural justice and mental health among all asylum seekers.