Trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress symptoms among Syrian refugee youth in Jordan: Social support and gender as moderators |
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| Authors: | Wendy Kliewer Khalid A Kheirallah Caroline O Cobb Jomana W Alsulaiman Fawaz Mzayek Hashem Jaddou |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA;2. Department of Public Health, Medical School of Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan;3. Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine at Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan;4. Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health, University of Memphis School of Public Health, Memphis, TN, USA;5. Department of Community Medicine, Public Health, and Family Medicine, Medical School of Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan |
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| Abstract: | This study assessed relations between exposure to trauma and post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms, and whether perceived social support from family and friends and gender moderated these associations. Syrian refugee youth (N = 418, 55.0% female) attending public schools in Jordan participated. Boys reported more age-adjusted PTS symptoms than girls. Analyses revealed that family support and gender moderated the association of trauma on PTS symptoms. For males, the benefits of family support were most evident under conditions of high traumatic stress exposure, while for females, benefits of family support were evident when no loss or injury to family members had been reported. Support from friends was not helpful for either gender. School- or family-based interventions designed to treat PTS symptoms need to consider the different needs of boys and girls, particularly within the Syrian Muslim cultural context. |
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| Keywords: | Jordan Refugees Post-traumatic stress symptoms Gender differences Support |
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