Current literature points toward several challenges in the access to sufficient and effective
psychosocial care for Syrian refugees in host settings. This study is a comparative
investigation into the relationship between “perceived social stress” and “perceived
social support” on three of the most prevalent symptom dimensions in Syrian refugees
across two host capitals, Berlin and Amman. Eighty nine Syrians refugees were recruited
between January 2017 and March 2018. Participants were contacted through local
institutions and organizations collaborating with the Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
Assessments include the PHQ-9, GAD-7, HTQ, MSPSS, and PSS. Primary analyses
consist of non- or parametric tests and multiple linear regression analyses. Subsample
analyses showed relevant depressive, anxiety and trauma-related symptoms. Significant
differences in PTSD symptoms (p < 0.04) were found. Participants reported high
perceived stress and moderate to high social support. Linear regressions revealed that
perceived stress had a significant negative effect (p < 0.01) on clinical outcomes in both
subsamples. Perceived social support had a positive influence on depressive (p = 0.02)
and PTSD symptoms (p = 0.04) for participants in Berlin. Analyses revealed significant
positive effects of “significant others” (p = 0.05) on depressive- in Berlin and “family” (p =
0.03) support for PTSD symptoms in Amman. Study results show that levels of “perceived
stress” appear to be the same across different host countries, whereas types of social
support and their effect onmental health differ significantly depending on the host setting.
Outcomes may guide future comparative study designs and investigations to promote
well-being, integration, and the development of effective social support structures for the
diverse needs of Arabic-speaking refugees