Acculturation of Syrian Refugees in Germany

Abstract

Since 2011, there has been an ongoing civil war in Syria between various militant groups, ISIS, and the Syrian government, in response to the oppressive regime of the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad. As a result, the largest migration that the world has seen since the Second World War has transpired. Approximately 13 million Syrians have been forcefully displaced from their homes, making this one of the largest humanitarian crises of our time. Many Syrians have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, as well as in Europe, the United States, and Canada. There is notably little research on refugee adaptation in Europe, which is the focus of this study. Using aspects of the Multidimensional Individual Differences Acculturation (MIDA) model, this study looked to examine the sociocultural and psychophysical adaptation of Syrian refugees in Germany. Measures that were excluded from the current version of the MIDA model were Ingroup Contact and Outgroup Contact. Researchers at Ludwig Maximilians University Munich administered paper and pencil surveys to 265 participants in Nuremberg, Germany who were attending vocational and language schools. Results displayed a significant relationship between Psychosocial Resources and Integration, and Psychophysical Distress; Co-National Connectedness and Integration; and Hassles and Psychophysical Distress. This study looks to inform host country government policies about positive integration strategies for refugee adaptation.