A qualitative study on Problems of Young People and Ways of Religious Coping in Türkiye

Abstract

The research aims to investigate the problems faced by young people in Turkey and the religious coping mechanisms they use to cope with these problems. A total of 403 students from Turkey participated, including 190 high school and 213 university students. The research, conducted in April 2024, employed two different methods for data collection: written data was gathered directly from high school students through interviews, while questionnaires were distributed to university students and collected by the researcher. We used semi-structured interviews based on a specific framework, asking participants three broad and open-ended questions. After conducting a content analysis on the data, the researcher categorized the data thematically. Based on the available data, the findings of the research classified the problems faced by young people into three main categories: individual, social, and existential issues. Individual problems included gender roles, sexuality, religious doubts, stress, addiction, and loneliness. Social problems consisted of local and popular culture, violence, concerns about the future, difficulties in finding employment, the education process, marriage, and family communication. Existential issues included the meaning of life, death, and belief in God. The study revealed that young people often resort to religious coping strategies to handle these challenges. These strategies include praying (salat), supplication (dua), expressing gratitude, repentance, performing ablution, attending mosques, reading the Qur'an, participating in religious talks, and engaging in volunteer services. As a result, it has been determined that religious coping strategies are an important part of the daily lives of young people in Turkey and that these strategies play an important role in coping with individual, social, and existential challenges.