"The wind does not go the way the ship wants!": stress and social support in Syrian migrant adolescents.

PURPOSE

Previous studies reveal the importance of proximal context and social environment in the adaptation and resilience of immigrant adolescents. Syrian immigrant youth in Turkey face stressors such as acculturation, discrimination, and economic problems. However, more qualitative research is needed to examine the unique stressors and coping processes of Syrian immigrant youth and the social networks that support them. This study aimed to uncover the relevant unique relationships.

METHOD

The study involved 24 Syrian migrant adolescents aged 12-18, with four focus group interviews conducted from April to May 2024. Data were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA).

CONCLUSIONS

The themes related to sources of stress were (a) life struggle, (b) peer relationships, (c) future anxiety, (d) social barriers, and the social support mechanisms in times of stress were discovered as (a) family (b) clergy and religious rituals (c) non-governmental organizations (d) school counselors. The results of our study shed light on the fact that Syrian migrant youth experience significant socioeconomic difficulties and are forced to leave formal education and work in unequal conditions. Our study also revealed that youths have difficulties in accessing education, health, and professional psychological support services due to perceived discrimination in public institutions such as schools and hospitals.