Stress coping skills and strategies as antidote to mental health for adult male migrants – open space for CBT interventions

Abstract

Migrants often encounter numerous stressors that can significantly impact their mental health. Understanding the coping strategies employed by migrants and assessing their mental health status is crucial for developing effective support systems. The main aim of this study was to examine the most common coping skills and strategies of young adult migrants in order to generate ideas for creating a comprehensive CBT support program. The study explored the frequency of different coping strategies employed by migrants in correlation with their levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. This study utilized a quantitative approach and recruited a sample of 184 male migrants from 14 different countries facing stressful situations. The findings revealed that religion was the most commonly used coping strategy, followed by planning for the next steps and actively coping with the situation. Substance use was identified as the least utilized coping strategy. The mental health scores of male migrants reflected moderate levels of depression, anxiety, and mild manifestations of stress symptoms. These results underscore the importance of understanding and addressing the coping mechanisms and mental health needs of migrants to provide appropriate support and interventions.