Sharing Stories Eases Pain: Core Relational Processes of a Group Intervention with Syrian Refugees in Jordan

ABSTRACT

This interpretive qualitative study investigated relationships and relational processes that facilitate social connection in a group-therapy intervention for Syrian refugees in Jordan. Drawing from grounded theory analytical methods, a core relational process, sharing stories eases pain, was derived from the data to explain how group members came to develop close, caring relationships, which led to other psychosocial benefits. The findings fill a gap in the group treatment literature specific to refugees and advance understanding of group relationships as an active ingredient promoting change. Findings also suggest that group based treatment may be uniquely suited to address some of the broader social-relational consequences of conflict and forced migration.

KEYWORDS:

• Group therapy
• Syria
• refugee
• group process
• cohesion

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Syrian men and women who participated in this study and the entire research team and staff at the Center for Victims of Torture in Minneapolis and Jordan.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

The study was supported by funding from the Pearson Institute from the Study and Resolution of Global Conflict at the Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago. Funding for CVT’s work in Jordan is provided by the United States Government and the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture.

Notes on contributors

Mary Bunn

Mary Bunn is a Research Scientist in the Department of Psychiatry and Global Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her research focuses on community-based mental health prevention and care services for survivors of war, torture and forced migration, and mobilizing social and family resources through interventions to enhance coping and wellbeing.

Jeanne Marsh

Jeanne Marsh is the George Herbert Jones Distinguished Service Professor at the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice. She studies process and outcome of health and social services with a special focus on addiction services for women with children.

Andrea Haidar

Andrea Haidar is a doctoral student in clinical psychology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Her work is focused on increasing the accessibility and cultural acceptability of mental health interventions for racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants, and refugees.