IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i3p693-d311584.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Perceptions of Trauma, Complaints, Somatization, and Coping Strategies among Syrian Refugees in Germany—A Qualitative Study of an At-Risk Population

Author

Listed:
  • Ali Zbidat

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany)

  • Ekaterini Georgiadou

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
    Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Paracelsus Medical University, 90419 Nürnberg, Germany)

  • Andrea Borho

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany)

  • Yesim Erim

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany)

  • Eva Morawa

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany)

Abstract

Background : A high prevalence of mental distress, especially posttraumatic stress disorder, has been widely confirmed among refugees. In order to establish adequate interventions in psychotherapy, however, it must first be examined whether refugees have similar ideas and concepts of stress, trauma, and healing. This study, therefore, aimed to analyze the representations of trauma, self-reported complaints, indications of somatization, and coping strategies among a refugee population. Methods : Semi-structured interviews based on the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) were conducted with Syrian refugees who have residence permission in Germany. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed according to the qualitative content analysis of Mayring. The foci of interest were determined on the basis of the predefined interview guideline, and inductive subcategories were extracted from the transcripts. Results : Sixteen refugees participated (50% women; mean age: 35.5 years, SD = 11.2; the mean duration of stay in Germany: 23.3 months, SD = 6.6). War experiences were the most frequently reported subjective perceptions of trauma. Frequently reported complaints included sleeping disturbance, cardiovascular symptoms, rumination, and pain. Among half of the participants, we found indications of somatization. We identified the following coping strategies: Activity, cognitive coping, social coping, religious coping, avoidance, and emotional coping. Conclusions: War-related traumatic events are the most common trauma perceptions among Syrian refugees. The self-reported complaints demonstrate somatoform, depressive, and posttraumatic symptoms. Syrian refugees should be screened for somatization, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder and should receive targeted interventions that consider and support individual coping resources.

Suggested Citation

  • Ali Zbidat & Ekaterini Georgiadou & Andrea Borho & Yesim Erim & Eva Morawa, 2020. "The Perceptions of Trauma, Complaints, Somatization, and Coping Strategies among Syrian Refugees in Germany—A Qualitative Study of an At-Risk Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-15, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:3:p:693-:d:311584
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/3/693/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/3/693/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ekaterini Georgiadou & Eva Morawa & Yesim Erim, 2017. "High Manifestations of Mental Distress in Arabic Asylum Seekers Accommodated in Collective Centers for Refugees in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-13, June.
    2. Fatmeh Ahmad Alzoubi & Ahmed Mohammad Al-Smadi & Yazeed Mohammad Gougazeh, 2019. "Coping Strategies Used by Syrian Refugees in Jordan," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 28(4), pages 396-421, May.
    3. Eva Morawa & Yesim Erim, 2018. "Health-Related Lifestyle Behavior and Religiosity among First-Generation Immigrants of Polish Origin in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-17, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Catharina Zehetmair & Valentina Zeyher & Anna Cranz & Beate Ditzen & Sabine C. Herpertz & Rupert Maria Kohl & Christoph Nikendei, 2021. "A Walk-In Clinic for Newly Arrived Mentally Burdened Refugees: The Patient Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-16, February.
    2. Kathrin Maier & Karol Konaszewski & Sebastian Binyamin Skalski & Arndt Büssing & Janusz Surzykiewicz, 2022. "Spiritual Needs, Religious Coping and Mental Wellbeing: A Cross-Sectional Study among Migrants and Refugees in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-16, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fatin Atrooz & Sally Mohammad Aljararwah & Tzuan A. Chen & Omar F. Khabour & Samina Salim, 2023. "Understanding Mental Health Status of Syrian Refugee and Jordanian Women: Novel Insights from a Comparative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-14, February.
    2. Perjan Hashim Taha & Marit Sijbrandij, 2021. "Gender Differences in Traumatic Experiences, PTSD, and Relevant Symptoms among the Iraqi Internally Displaced Persons," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-11, September.
    3. Jian Wang & Liuna Geng, 2019. "Effects of Socioeconomic Status on Physical and Psychological Health: Lifestyle as a Mediator," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-9, January.
    4. Osnat Keidar & David S. Srivastava & Emmanouil Pikoulis & Aristomenis K. Exadaktylos, 2019. "Health of Refugees and Migrants—Where Do We Stand and What Directions Should We Take?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-8, April.
    5. Anna Leiler & Elisabet Wasteson & Joanna Holmberg & Anna Bjärtå, 2020. "A Pilot Study of a Psychoeducational Group Intervention Delivered at Asylum Accommodation Centers—A Mixed Methods Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-20, December.
    6. Harem Nareeman Mahmood & Hawkar Ibrahim & Azad Ali Ismail & Frank Neuner, 2022. "Does Time Heal Trauma? 18 Month Follow-Up Study of Syrian Refugees’ Mental Health in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-11, November.
    7. Remy Rahim Hosari & Andrea Borho & Eva Morawa & Yesim Erim, 2022. "Which Protective Factors Are Associated with the Mental Health of Syrian Students in Germany? A Register-Based Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-12, December.
    8. Jimmy T. Efird & Pollie Bith-Melander, 2018. "Refugee Health: An Ongoing Commitment and Challenge," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-3, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:3:p:693-:d:311584. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.