| dc.description.abstract | Introduction. People who seek or have refugee status are often exposed to adversity or traumatic experiences. Although adversity can increase the risk for a range of psychiatric disorders, not everyone copes with these events in the same way. Little is known about positive outcomes following refugees’ experiences of adversity, evidence shows that they may have remarkable levels of resilience. Research about adversity and empathy suggest that increasing severity of past adversity predicts increased empathy. The literature stated that adversity can predict increased empathy, and that empathy can foster resilience. However, little is known about this relationship and resilient coping as an outcome, especially in refugees. Method. This cross-sectional study includes 56 young adults of Syrian origin (age 18-35). The data were collected through questionnaires about adversity (Harvard Trauma Questionnaire), empathy (Interpersonal Reactivity Index) and resilient coping (Brief Resilient Coping Scale). Data was analyzed using a mediation model which focused on the estimation of the indirect effect of adversity on resilient coping through the intermediary mediator empathy. Results. There was no direct effect of adversity on resilient coping. The regression of empathy on adversity, and the regression of the mediator empathy on resilient coping were also not significant. Also, empathy did not mediate the relationship between adversity and resilient coping in Syrian refugees. Discussion. Other factors, such as specific personality traits, might have stronger predictive value for resilient coping. Also, active involvement in challenges and adversity may be a requirement for the ability to cope with adversity in a resilient way. The results suggest that adversity itself is not a significant predictor of resilient coping and that this relationship is not mediated by empathy in Syrian refugees. However, in light of existing evidence, it can not be denied that adversity can have negative consequences for mental health and well-being. This gives us a richer understanding of how adversity contributes to mental health and promote ways to investigate other ways to resilient coping in further research. | |
