Predictors of psychosocial adjustment in Syrian refugee children attending Lebanese public schools

Abstract

To recognize the role schools play in the acclimatization of refugee children to their new life in the host country, we sought to investigate the psychosocial adjustment of Syrian refugee students enrolled in Lebanese public schools. Psychosocial adjustment involves both the emotional and behavioral wellbeing of children and is measured using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Psychosocial adjustment is also consistently linked to school belonging which, in turn, can be assessed using the Psychological Sense of School Membership (PSSM) scale. The aim of this study is to identify associations between psychosocial adjustment, determined by the SDQ and PSSM scale, and both (1) sociodemographics (age, gender, parental level of education and length of stay in the host country) and (2) classroom environment in Lebanese public schools in the greater Beirut area. A total of 410 Syrian refugee students (222 females) with a mean age of 11.4 years, who arrived in Lebanon between the years 2011 and 2017, were included in the study. The results showed a very weak correlation between older age and psychosocial maladjustment measured using the SDQ (r = .10, p = .04). Additionally, girls had a better psychosocial adjustment than boys (mean PSSM-scale score: 70.7 ± 10.1 Vs. 67.4 ± 11.8, p = .0014). On multivariate linear regression, there was a strong positive correlation between the classroom environment and psychosocial adjustment (p < .001). Policies addressing the emotional needs of Syrian refugee children in Lebanese public schools and promoting their psychosocial adjustment are needed.