Search Results (152)

This study investigates how differing educational frameworks across Lebanon, Turkey, and Australia influence the perceived educational performance of Syrian refugee children. The legal status granted to refugees in each country fundamentally shapes their respective education systems’ responses. In Lebanon, refugees are generally classified as temporarily displaced persons, resulting in an emergency-based approach to education for the approximately 500,000 Syrian children present. By contrast, Australia has offered permanent resettlement opportunities to selected Syrian refugees, integrating them directly into mainstream schools. Turkey, meanwhile, has progressively shifted from emergency-based measures to policies oriented toward long-term integration. This research is based on survey data from 1298 Syrian refugee children across the three contexts. Findings from ordered probit regression analyses indicate that, beyond the legal duration of residency and the prevailing educational policy model (emergency versus long-term integration), variables such as the extent of educational segregation, the availability of preparatory and language support programmes, and the socioeconomic status of families are also pivotal in shaping students’ self-perceived academic performance. Full article

Although the experiences of forced migration among refugees have been widely studied, the relationships between occupational balance, well-being, participation, and perceived discrimination remain poorly understood. This study aimed to examine these interrelationships and to explore the predictive role of occupational balance in each domain. Data were collected between February and March 2025 from 260 Syrian refugees aged 18–65 using validated instruments: the Occupational Balance Questionnaire, Personal Well-Being Index–Adult, Participation Scale, and Perceived Discrimination Scale. Occupational balance was significantly correlated with well-being, participation, and perceived discrimination (all p < 0.001). However, regression analyses revealed that only well-being (β = 0.114, p < 0.001) and participation (β = −0.107, p = 0.002) significantly predicted occupational balance; perceived discrimination had no direct effect. These findings highlight the critical role of occupational balance in fostering psychosocial integration. Enhancing refugees’ well-being and participation may support their adaptation processes. Community-based, culturally responsive interventions that target these domains could promote social inclusion, continuity of roles, and long-term psychosocial stability among displaced populations in host societies. Full article

Partner selection is a complex process shaped by structural, social, and personal factors. For refugees and forced migrants, displacement and adaptation add further challenges, with families—even from far away—playing a crucial role in shaping expectations and influencing partnership decisions. This influence can be direct—through arranged marriages or introductions—or indirect, by setting expectations based on ethnicity, religion, or social status. Family endorsement is often crucial in reinforcing ethnic, religious, or language group continuity and community acceptance. This study examines the role of family in partner selection among refugees who arrived in Germany largely during the 2015–2016 period, a group characterized by a high proportion of unmarried men with limited family support. This group is compared to the German resident population, both with and without a migration background. For the descriptive analyses, we draw on two data sources: the PARFORM dataset, collected in 2022–2023, which covers male Syrian and Afghan refugees who arrived between 2014 and 2018; and the ninth wave of the CILS4EU-DE, collected in 2022. The multivariate analyses rely exclusively on the PARFORM dataset and utilize linear probability models with selection correction. We contribute to the literature in three key ways: identifying mechanisms of family influence despite physical distance; introducing a multidimensional framework to measure partnership outcomes based on ethnic, religious, and linguistic endogamy; and providing new insights into the underexplored partnership formation of this refugee cohort. Full article

This article investigates the employment conditions of Syrian refugee workers in the clothing industry in Istanbul, as well as its consequences on their socio-emotional well-being and life plans. 62 interviews in the form of life stories were conducted with these workers from workspaces of varying sizes. The research identifies ambiguity, hyper-precarity, institutional violence, and segregation (refugees mostly work in small workshops) as the main concepts for understanding these conditions. The dimensions of socio-emotional well-being are dominated by depression and loss of control over life. However, the personal (self) dimension (proud, optimistic, and staying positive with oneself) remains high. As a result, migration outside of Turkey emerges as as ongoing hope in the pursuit of stability and control over the future. Full article

This article showcases Syrian refugees’ narratives of trauma and survival, through a phenomenological approach to in-depth research, with refugees who have resettled in Australia. It explores their journey towards resettlement, highlighting the nexus between displacement in the home–transit–host countries and the biopsychosocial determinants of mental health. Since the 2011 uprising, over 12 million Syrians have been displaced, both internally and worldwide. A refugee’s journey to safety often involves multiple displacements and exposure to dangerous, life-threatening, and dehumanising experiences. We have therefore adopted a qualitative approach that counters this dehumanisation by honouring the unique humanity in the voice of each of our research participants. This article aims to portray the nuanced interdependence between the individual, social, and political contexts of seven Syrian refugees’ lived experiences through an in-depth consideration of what they have told us, how they narrate their stories, and the meanings they ascribe to what they have experienced. The findings of this small yet eloquent study reinforce the insight that the journey to resettlement is far from linear and that resettlement itself is a process marked by recurrent and persistent complexities. The article suggests that the resilience of these refugees is best understood as an ethical and altruistic commitment to collective well-being, transcending notions of individual fortitude. Full article

Historically, research on video games has centred on their potentially adverse effects, though more recently, work has started to explore the benefits. Here, we investigate whether playing a video game portraying a refugee’s plight in escaping war-torn Syria could affect implicit and explicit attitudes towards that social group. We show that after 30 min of game play embodying a Syrian refugee, participants showed reduced prejudicial attitudes and increased empathy towards Syrian refugees compared to those playing a mechanically similar but contextually unrelated game. While implicit attitudes followed the same direction, this difference was not statistically significant. Potential theoretical underpinnings of these findings, including perspective taking, embodiment, and contact perspectives for prejudice reduction, are discussed. Full article

The Zaatari Camp in Jordan exemplifies how Syrian refugees transform a planned grid settlement into an organic urban environment through socio-spatial adaptation, reflecting their cultural identity and territorial practices. This study investigates the camp’s morphological evolution, analyzing how refugees reconfigure public and private spaces to prioritize privacy, security, and community cohesion. Using qualitative methods—including archival maps, photographs, and field observations—the research reveals how formal public areas are repurposed into private shelter extensions, creating zones of influence that mirror traditional Arab-Islamic urban patterns. Key elements such as mosques, markets, and hierarchical street networks emerge as cultural anchors, shaped by refugees’ prior urban experiences. However, this organic growth introduces challenges, such as blocked streets and undefined spaces, which hinder safety and service delivery, underscoring tensions between informal urbanization and structured planning. The findings advocate urban resilience and participatory planning frameworks that integrate socio-cultural values, emphasizing defensible boundaries, interdependence, and adaptable design. Refugees’ territorial behaviors—such as creating diagonal streets and expanding shelters—highlight their agency in reshaping urban systems, challenging conventional top-down approaches. This research focuses on land-use dynamics, sustainable cities, and adaptive urban systems in crisis contexts. By bridging gaps between displacement studies and urban theory, the study offers insights into fostering social inclusion and equitable infrastructure in transient settlements. Future research directions, including comparative analyses of refugee camps and cognitive mapping, aim to deepen understanding of socio-spatial resilience. Ultimately, this work contributes to global dialogues on informal urbanization and culturally responsive design, advocating for policies that align with the Sustainable Development Goals to rebuild cohesive, resilient urban environments in displacement settings. Full article

Refugee camps are typically designed as temporary sustainable settlements, prioritizing logistics over cultural considerations, which can lead to environments being misaligned with the lived experiences of displaced populations. This study addresses the challenge of traditional humanitarian camp designs that prioritize logistical efficiency over cultural and socio-cultural needs, leading to environments that do not align with the lived experiences of displaced populations. Focusing on the Zaatari Syrian Refugee Camp in Jordan, the research employs a structured questionnaire distributed among 102 households to investigate how refugees have reconfigured the camp’s original grid layout into more cohesive clustered patterns, informed by the principles of defensible space theory. Key findings reveal that refugees actively transform public courtyards into semi-private spaces, driven by cultural imperatives and safety needs. Statistical analyses confirm significant correlations between clustering behaviors and the attributes of defensible space, particularly the zones of influence and boundary demarcation, enhancing community resilience and accessibility. However, the study finds a limited predictive power overall, indicating that while these adaptations are significant, factors such as natural surveillance and territorial behavior do not exhibit strong influences on clustering dynamics. These findings have important implications for humanitarian planning and design. They highlight the necessity for more culturally sensitive and flexible approaches that prioritize refugee agencies and communal identity in camp layouts. This research advocates for a hybrid planning approach that integrates socio-cultural values, promoting resilience and quality of life among refugees. By aligning spatial designs with the social and cultural realities of refugee communities, humanitarian actors can enhance the effectiveness of their interventions, ultimately contributing to more sustainable and inclusive urban environments as part of broader goals related to urban planning and development. Future research is encouraged to explore these practices in diverse refugee contexts, providing further validation of these findings and enhancing the applicability of these design principles in global humanitarian efforts. Full article

To monitor progress in including persons with disabilities, including in interventions which can improve their health and quality of life, it is crucial to collect data on their participation. However, there are many different ways of defining disability and thus categorising individuals as disabled/not disabled, which may impact measures of participation. This study aims to assess the relationship between three different measures of disability and the level of participation of persons with disabilities. We analysed data from a population-based survey of disability amongst Syrian refugees in Istanbul, which collected data on disability using the Washington Group enhanced set of disability questions as well a two-question set asking about perceived activity limitations due to disability. The prevalence of disability ranged from 13.5 to 22.4% depending on the measure used. The group of people that are categorised as disabled also differs, indicating who is being seen as disabled changes when a different measure is used. Levels of participation, with regards to paid work, education and being partnered, also varied by measure, for example, being in paid work ranged from 26% to 38%. These findings underscore the importance of carefully selecting and clearly defining disability measures in studies, (health) interventions and policy contexts. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted vulnerable populations, such as internally displaced Syrians and Syrian refugees (SSRs) in Middle Eastern host countries, through a syndemic interplay of health, social, and economic challenges. Movement restrictions disrupted their livelihoods resulting in increased food insecurity. A mixed-methods approach was used to address the research question: “What is the relationship between Food Insecurity (FI), Mental Health (MH), and COVID-19 among displaced SSRs working in agriculture”? One hundred SSR participants working in agriculture were recruited from northern Syria and neighbouring countries to participate in a Household Survey. The survey data were analysed using correlation and regression analysis. Additionally, interviews with Household Survey researchers were conducted and thematically analysed. Increasing food insecurity was significantly correlated with worse mental health outcomes among SSR participants (r_s = −0.24, p = 0.018). No moderation effects were found with COVID-19 measures or household responses to the pandemic. However, smaller food portions and storing food were positively correlated with poor mental health and food insecurity. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated food insecurity and mental health challenges among displaced Syrians and refugees, particularly during Ramadan in 2020, highlighting the compounded effects of overlapping crises and the need for further research into resilience strategies. Full article

The number of refugees across the world is increasing rapidly, as is the prevalence of Islamophobia. This flow of people and changing perceptions of them usually result in negative attitudes and hostility toward Muslims and refugees since they are perceived as the “outgroup”. This globally prevalent trend is usually attributable especially to refugees being perceived as a social, economic, or security threat. The goal of this paper is to understand Americans’ perception of outgroups and how they are related to anti-refugee and anti-Muslim sentiment by using a data-driven approach. We used latent class analysis (LCA) to determine whether there were any latent classes concerning outgroup attitudes in the US. Our results showed that people fall into four different categories regarding how they perceive Muslims, refugees, and minorities. At the same time, there were five different latent classes regarding how they perceive immigrants. This paper aims to explore this complex issue and help to reduce prejudice and intergroup conflict, ameliorate negative attitudes, and provide these groups with a stable social support system. Full article

Background: Refugees face numerous challenges, including conflict, displacement, family separation, human rights violations, limited access to basic needs, and exposure to violence and torture. These experiences significantly impact their psychological well-being, leading to increased stress, anxiety, and depression. Syrian refugees in Jordan may experience higher levels of depression and anxiety than those in Spain due to harsher living conditions, limited economic opportunities, uncertain legal status, inadequate mental health services, and ongoing proximity to the Syrian conflict, whereas refugees in Spain benefit from better integration, stronger support systems, and greater stability. Objective: This study aimed to assess and compare the psychological symptoms experienced by Syrian refugees in Jordan and Spain. Methods: A cross-sectional correlational design was employed to evaluate the psychological impact on Syrian refugees in both developed (Spain) and developing (Jordan) country. A sample of 200 refugees from camps, residences, and refugee centers was recruited. Psychological symptoms were measured using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Results: The majority of participants had low income, secondary education, and were unemployed. Overall, 55.5% reported stress, 63.5% anxiety, and 68.5% depression. Higher levels of stress and depression were observed among females, unemployed individuals, and low-income groups. Age also played a critical role, with individuals aged 40–49 reporting elevated stress, anxiety, and depression compared with other age groups. Discrimination and living arrangements further influenced mental health, with low-social-connectivity communities and rural areas associated with higher anxiety and depression. Higher levels of stress and depression were observed among females in Spain and significant mental health disparities across age and income groups in Jordan. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions addressing sociodemographic vulnerabilities to improve refugee mental health outcomes. Refugees in Jordan reported significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety compared with those in Spain. Conclusions: The findings highlight the profound psychological burden faced by Syrian refugees, particularly in Jordan, where living conditions and systemic challenges exacerbate mental health issues. Factors such as age, gender, marital status, low education, and low income were strongly associated with higher stress levels in both countries. These results underscore the need for targeted mental health interventions, improved access to psychological support, and policies that address the socioeconomic and legal challenges faced by refugees. Enhancing integration, reducing discrimination, and providing comprehensive mental health services are critical steps toward improving the well-being of this vulnerable population. Full article

War refugees are more likely to present psychological disorders, such as PTSD. Memory impairments often hinder their ability to recall and integrate traumatic events. This study investigated the memory capacity of 133 Syrian refugee children and adolescents in Lebanon and examined the moderating role of resilience in the relationship between exposure to negative events, post-traumatic stress reactions, and traumatic events recollection. Participants completed the Childhood War Trauma Questionnaire (CWTQ), Post-Traumatic Symptom Reactions Checklist for Children (PTSR-C), and Child and Youth Resilience Measure-28 (CYRM-28). They also performed a timeline exercise, part of Narrative Exposure Therapy, in which they organized and described their positive and negative life memories. Results showed that memories of traumatic events were lower than potentially traumatic events that participants had witnessed. This difference increased as post-traumatic stress increased. Moreover, potentially traumatic events experienced predicted post-traumatic stress reactions, and these predicted negative memories recalled. Participants’ resilience moderated the association between post-traumatic reactions and remembered traumatic memories showing that only for children and adolescents with higher resilience post-traumatic symptoms predicted trauma-related memories. The results highlight meaning making and sharing capacities of natural relational contexts (family, peers, etc.) as potential key processes to be promoted to overcome and process traumatic events. Full article

Background/Objectives: Refugee children are vulnerable in many respects. Determining their nutritional characteristics can guide the interventions that need to be developed. We aimed to determine the infant feeding characteristics of Syrian refugee mothers. Methods: Syrian health care workers administered a survey file to Syrian mothers (n = 210) having a child under two years of age in 39 refugee health centers from five provinces. Analysis for association was conducted using the Chi-square test and logistic regression. Results: The mean (±SD) age was 27.1 ± 6.3 years for mothers and 11.0 ± 6.2 months for infants. Thirty percent of the children had prelacteal feeding, most frequently sugary water, formula, and anise. Of all, 69% continued to be breastfed; 86% in 0–5-month-old babies and 36% in 16–23-month-old infants. Of 16–23-month-old children, 40% had not eaten any fruit and vegetables rich in vitamin A before. Multivariate analysis revealed that prelacteal feeding was associated with bottle feeding and not having lactation counseling support in the prenatal and postnatal periods (AOR: 2.61, 95% CI: 1.35–5.10; AOR: 2.79, 95% CI: 1.33–5.84). Being still-breastfed was associated with younger age (0–5 months old) and not using feeding bottles (AOR: 3.85, 95% CI: 1.47–10.10; AOR: 2.66, 95% CI: 1.35–5.21, respectively). Conclusion: Prelacteal feeding, sugary water consumption, bottle feeding, and limited dietary diversity were identified as significant nutritional issues among Syrian infants. In addition to lactation counseling, there is a need for culturally appropriate education on complementary feeding and healthy child nutrition for pregnant mothers and those with children under two years of age. Full article

Background and Objectives: Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a major contributor to pediatric morbidity and mortality worldwide. There is a scarcity of data on AGE in North Lebanon, a region profoundly affected by the Syrian refugee crisis and water sanitation issues. This study examines the prevalence, risk factors, and seasonal variations in adenovirus and rotavirus infections in children with AGE in North Lebanon. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2022 to August 2023 on 400 children (1 month to 5 years old) with AGE that were admitted to pediatric departments of three private hospitals in North Lebanon. Stool samples were collected and tested using chromatographic immunoassays. Comprehensive demographic and clinical data were collected and analyzed. Results: Rotavirus was the most frequent viral agent (28%), followed by adenovirus (12.3%) and mixed infections (5.5%). Rotavirus vaccination demonstrated a significant protective effect, and lower infection rates were associated with breastfeeding and consumption of bottled water (p < 0.001). Higher infection rates correlated with lower levels of maternal education and household incomes (p < 0.001). Malnutrition significantly increased susceptibility to rotavirus infections (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study emphasized the urgent need for targeted public health interventions in North Lebanon to mitigate the burden of rotavirus and adenovirus-induced acute gastroenteritis among children. Full article