Abstract
Background
The devastation of the Syrian war can lead to a drastic re-evaluation of oneself and alteration in self-capacities. Yet, little is known regarding its impact on these domains among Syrian refugees.
Aims
To investigate the inter-relationship between trauma characteristics, trauma centrality, self-efficacy, emotional suppression, PTSD and psychiatric co-morbidity among Syrian refugees.
Methods
1197 refugees from Turkey and Sweden completed the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, General Health Questionnaire-28, Centrality of Event Scale, Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale and Courtauld Emotional Control Scale.
Results
Using the DSM-IV criteria for PTSD from the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, 43% met the criteria. The PTSD group reported significantly higher levels of trauma characteristics, trauma centrality and psychiatric co-morbidity but a lower level of self-efficacy than the non-PTSD group. Trauma characteristics were positively associated with trauma centrality; trauma centrality was negatively correlated with self-efficacy. Contrary to hypothesis, self-efficacy was positively correlated with emotional suppression which was positively correlated with psychiatric co-morbidity but not PTSD.
Conclusions
The experience of war can lead to the emergence of PTSD among Syrian refugees. Exposure to war can alter self-perception, belief of personal mastery over one’s future and the way emotion is expressed, all of which can have specific effects on general psychological symptoms.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).