Concepts of Resilience Among Trauma-Exposed Syrian Refugees

Syrian refugees comprise the largest population of internally displaced people in the world, with about 18,000 Syrian refugees resettled in the United States from 2011 to 2016. Although many of these individuals experience trauma that can lead to different mental health problems, most are quite resilient. This qualitative study explores themes of resilience in Syrian refugees, and how these themes differ from Western ideas of resilience. Eight in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with Syrian adults in the United States. Questions focused on three experiences: preflight, flight, and postflight. Interviews were conducted in Arabic with a bilingual translator. Thematic analysis was used to identify concepts of resilience. Themes that emerged included: life in Syria outside of conflict, life in Syria during war, seeking refuge, life in the United States, hardships and challenges, systemic failure, comparison between cultures, health and well-being, external sources of resilience, and internal sources of resilience. We discuss research and counseling implications of these results.