Posttraumatic Growth Experiences of Syrian Refugees After War

Abstract

War is a type of trauma that humans have experienced for centuries. Today, the civil war in Syria affects millions of people’s lives deeply and is forcing civilians to migrate to other countries. The aim of the current study is to reveal how Syrian refugees cope with war trauma, what kinds of social support they get, and what posttraumatic growth experiences they have shown. Fifteen Syrian refugees who migrated from Syria to Turkey due to the war and witnessed the war participated in this study. Data were collected through interviews. In analyzing the data, a content analysis was used by creating themes and categories. Themes created include coping strategies, social support, learned pain experiences, relating to others, new possibilities, spiritual change, and changed priorities. These results show that after a traumatic experience, great changes can occur in people’s life. Findings are discussed and recommendations are given in line with the literature.