Syrian University Students Research Articles

Screening of eating disorders and its related factors among Syrian undergraduates: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundEating disorders (EDs) are a complex group of disorders that affect mental and physical health and pose a challenge for medical professionals to diagnose. This study aims to screen for eating disorders among Syrian university undergraduates.Methods and materialsA cross-sectional study was conducted among Syrian university students using a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of three sections: socio-demographic characteristics, dietary habits and barriers to healthy eating, and the Sick, Control, One, Fat, Food (SCOFF) score. The chi-square test was used to evaluate the factors related to eating disorders.ResultsOf 728 students, 45.3% were males and 54.7% females. The majority of participants studied medicine 32.3%, followed by pharmacy 25.7% and dentistry 17.6%. Overweight and obese participants represented 21.4% and 6.8% respectively. Merely 36% of students reported adopting a healthy diet, a greater percentage of females 58.8% reported having snacks compared to males 48.5% (P = 0.006), a higher percentage of females 38.8% reported consuming fast food compared to males 26.6% (P < 0.001). Most of the students' eating habits worsened during exams 55.7%, females 60.6% markedly reported worse eating habits during exams compared to males 50% (P = 0.017).Lack of time 72.7%, not accessible 38.3%, and unenjoyable 31.6% were frequent barriers to healthy food. About 20.3% of students screened positive for probable eating disorders. Factors that elevate the likelihood of acquiring an ED encompass being female, having a lower or higher BMI, eating worse during exams, and psychological behaviors.ConclusionsProbable EDs were prevalent among Syrian undergraduates. The addressed socio-demographic and psychological factors were significantly affecting students’ eating behaviors. These findings can be used to provide targeted lifestyle modification advice via health promotion programs for these specific groups.

Defining the cultural care needs of Syrian university students in Türkiye using Leininger's Sunrise Model

Nurses are expected to recognize the cultures of their patients and provide suitable medical service. Accordingly, the medical services to be provided to foreign students who come from different cultures and whose numbers are on the rise should be adapted to the cultures of these students. This study aimed to use the Leininger’s Sunrise Model for determining the cultural care needs of Syrian University Students in Türkiye. This qualitative study was conducted using the ethno-nursing research method. The sample of the study consisted of 19 Syrian undergraduate students. The Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) reporting guidelines were used in both the framing and reporting of this study to guarantee that sufficient details on the methods of data collection, analysis and interpretation were provided. The data examined under the 12 titles was assessed with the descriptive analysis method used in qualitative research. Students noted that care was provided voluntarily in their cultures, that families had the responsibility of providing care, that they needed professional and religious care simultaneously, and that the obstacles of receiving nursing care were language, gender, and privacy. Results in this study indicate that cultural values and beliefs had a significant impact on receiving medical care, and that professional and traditional treatments were used based on relevant cases.

Anthropometry of the nose pre- and post-photogrammetric adjustments in a sample of Syrian medical students. A cross-sectional study.

The individual's perceived beauty, sense of identity, and general well-being are all influenced by the social implications of the esthetics of their facial appearance. One of the major indicators of one's facial beauty is anthropometric proportions. This study was conducted to measure and evaluate the anthropometric proportions in a Syrian population, and to determine their desired nasal shape. A cross-sectional study was conducted on Syrian university students. Lateral and frontal pictures of the participants were taken using CanonEOS 250D from a standard distance of 100 cm. These pictures were analyzed, then nasal measurements were adjusted according to the participants' desire using Adobe Photoshop 2020. All anthropometric measurements were conducted on AutoCAD® 2019 software before and after the adjustments. Data was analyzed using the SPSS-25 using paired samples T test to compare the means. The study included 53 females and 47 males. The mean age was 22.25. The mean unadjusted nasofrontal angle, nasolabial angle, nasomental angle, nasofacial angle, nasal index, Byrd and Hobar ratio, and Powell-modified Baum ratiowere 141.80, 102.18, 129.21, 34.60, 71.71, 0.62, and 3.08 in the rhinoplasty-negative participants, and 145.89, 102.03, 130.20, 32.44, 67.96, 0.64, and 3.06 in the rhinoplasty-positive participants, respectively. While the mean of the adjusted previously mentioned angles were 144.59, 106.32, 131.19, 31.15, 62.91, 0.60, and 3.19 in the rhinoplasty-negative participants, and 146.31, 102, 130.20, 31, 62.55, 0.62, and 3.08 in the rhinoplasty-positive participants, respectively. In contrast to other populations, our study concluded that Syrians had unique anthropometric measurements and facial esthetics preferences. Moreover, the local plastic surgeons were able to identify most of the preferred nasal measurements for rhinoplasty in this ethnic group. It is advisable to use photogrammetry before rhinoplasty to identify the preferred nasal measurements of each individual to ensure the patient's satisfaction with the outcome of the surgery. Level IV, cross-sectional study.

Internet Addiction and Depression among Syrian College Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Problematic internet use (PIU) or internet addiction has become increasingly prevalent, and concerns about its impact on mental health and social functioning have grown. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of PIU among Syrian university students and its relationship with their demographics, internet user behavior, and mental health. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical students in Syrian government universities between 12 April and 29 May 2022. The survey included the Beck Depression Inventory and the Internet Addiction Scale. Results: Out of 2891 participants, 75.2% were female, with an average age of 21.87. The average Internet Addiction Test (IAT) score was 49.4, and the overall prevalence of PIU was 89%. Furthermore, 93.0% of participants displayed possible signs and symptoms of depression. PIU was significantly linked with physical abuse (p = 0.001) and mental stress (p = 0.0001). Internet addiction is (AOR:1.723, COR:2.289) fold more likely to occur in those with more than 8 h of sleep per night than in those who sleep for less than 6 h (p-value &lt; 0.05). Unadjusted regression analysis showed that 13 predictors of the independent variables were statistically significant in predicting the presence of internet addiction, such as participants who suffered from a breakup (COR:2.039), domestic violence (COR:2.136), physical abuse (COR:2.190), or mental stress (COR:2.621) were more likely to be affected by internet addiction than those who did not (p-value &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: The study found a high rate of internet addiction among Syrian medical students, with those experiencing mental health problems and depression symptoms more likely to be internet addicts. To prevent PIU, students should be encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities, such as sports, and awareness programs should be enhanced to highlight the negative effects of internet addiction.

The Stigmatizing Attitudes of Syrian University Students Toward Schizophrenia.

Background: Stigma is frequently considered an obstacle to schizophrenia treatment and recovery. However, little is known regarding the stigma experienced by persons with schizophrenia among Syrian college students.Methods: A total of 963 students from Syrian colleges and universities participated in this study, using a questionnaire with a case vignette illustrating schizophrenia. The questionnaire inquired about people's attitudes toward schizophrenia and their desire to avoid contact with people with schizophrenia. The current study investigated college students' stigma toward people with schizophrenia, desire for social distancing, gender (male and female), and major (medical and non-medical) differences.Results: The people described in the vignette were deemed "dangerous" (28%) and "could snap out of the problem" (50.20%), according to the respondents. Female students were more likely than male students to agree that "schizophrenia is not really a medical disease" (4.40% vs. 8.9%, p ≤ 0.05). Compared with medical students, non-medical students were more likely to agree that "The problem is a reflection of personal weakness" (20% vs. 21.7%, p < 0.05). Many respondents said they would not "marry into the family of someone with schizophrenia" (95.6%) or "work closely with them" (77.6%). Conclusion: In this study, it was observed that a considerable percentage of Syrian college students exhibited stigma toward persons with schizophrenia and really wanted to avoid social interaction with them, with female and non-medical students having higher stigma toward people with schizophrenia in several subscale items. The findings imply that more anti-stigma interventions for Syrian college students should be implemented to help avoid or lessen the stigma toward people with schizophrenia.

“I Fight, I Don’t Give up Hope”: Resilience and Life Satisfaction among Syrian Refugee University Students in Turkey

Forced migration is a phenomenon that profoundly affects the levels of resilience and life satisfaction of refugees. Hence, the purpose of current study is to address how Syrian refugee university students who study in Turkey recovered after deformation caused by significant changes in their life. This study employed a convergent mixed method design. The quantitative results indicated that there were positive relationships among life satisfaction and factors of resilience. The qualitative results revealed that three themes (psychological resilience, self-recovery, efforts to reach goals) formed resilience and two themes (future plans and happiness) formed life satisfaction.

Daily Mate Drinking Is Associated with a Low Level of Depressive Symptoms among a Sample of Syrian University Students

Background & Aim: In this survey study, we investigated prevalence of depression and the possible anti-depressant effects of regular consumption of mate or chimarrão (a traditional infused drink popular in Latin America and the Levant, made by soaking dried leaves of the holly species Ilex paraguariensis) in a sample of Syrian youth. Experimental: A cross-sectional study with random sampling of 196 students in two different medical universities in Damascus, Syria. Students were assessed using Beck Depression Inventory Scale-II and a structured questionnaire was used for collecting data regarding yerba mate consumption. Results & Discussion: Our results showed a prevalence of depression at 70.10% (n = 136), also a significant correlation between depression and mate consumption. Practical Recommendation: We recommend further studies on the antidepressant role of yerba mate.

Developing a Scale to Measure Syrian Students' Attitude Towards Turkish (SSATT) and Examining Its Psychometric Properties

The aim of the present study was to develop a valid and reliable measurement tool for identifying the attitudes towards Turkish of Syrian university students learning Turkish as a foreign language. The study group was comprised of a total of 489 individuals with 285 for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and 204 for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Student opinions, relevant literature and expert opinions were utilized when developing the scale items thus putting forth a 53 item form. Eight items were excluded following the pilot application on first form for linguistic clarity thus conducting EFA with 45 items. A total of 20 items were excluded as a result of the EFA thus obtaining a 25 item, three factor form that explains 49.42 % of the variance. CFA was conducted with a new study group for examining the model fit of the obtained three factor structure and the results of CFA (X2/sd= 2,46; RMSEA= .085; CFI= .92; NNFI= .91; SRMR= .085; GFI: .79) set forth that the model fit of the scale is at a sufficient level. The dimension including items on the purpose and function for the use of Turkish by Syrian students was named as “Purpose/function”; items related with the daily use of Turkish were named as “Daily life” whereas the dimension including items including a negative approach towards Turkish was entitled as “Dysfunctional approach”. Reliability analyses were carried out for the scale as a result of which the Cronbach’s Alfa and Spearman-Brown coefficients were obtained as (.90) and (.86) for the “purpose/function”, (.83) and (.82) for the “daily life”, (.76) and (.74) for the “dysfunctional approach”. The findings of the present study indicate that SSATT is a valid and reliable tool in measuring the attitudes of Syrian university students towards Turkish.

War-related trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder prevalence among Syrian university students

AimsPTSD is one of the most prevalent mental disorders in war-affected regions. Syria has endured 10 years of war and yet little is known about the impact of the conflict on the well-being of Syrians who remain. This study aimed to provide an estimated prevalence of PTSD among trauma-exposed university students in Deir-ez-Zor, Syria, a war-ridden region, that was under siege by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) for over 3 years. Moreover, we aimed to study the different types of trauma to which the students were exposed and studied the association between PTSD and multiple covariates including, socio-demographic characteristics, smoking habits, academic performance, and stress levels, and identify factors that influence the development of PTSD symptoms.MethodA descriptive cross-sectional study design was used on a sample of Al-Furat university students in Deir-ez-Zor. We collected data on socio-demographics, trauma exposure, and stress levels. PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 was used to carry out PTSD diagnosis and to determine the severity of the disorder.ResultA total of 833 Syrian students were recruited into the study, the mean was 22.4 ± 3.2 years. Of those, (22.2%) have been displaced 3 times, while (18.8%) were displaced over 5 times. (86.4%) reported experiencing at least one traumatic event, (33.8%) of the participants were exposed to one traumatic event, and (44.7%) experienced four or more traumatic events. PTSD prevalence was (28.2%), and the highest PTSD rates were found among students who were forced into sexual acts (46.3%), followed by those who witnessed childhood trauma or violence and those who witnessed violence as adults (42.6%). Sample distribution over stress levels was as follows: normal (39.5%), mild (16.0%), moderate (17.8%), severe (17.3%), and extremely severe (9.8%). A statistically significant association was found between PTSD prevalence and stress severity (p = 0.000). A significant association was found between PTSD and internal displacement (p = 0.032), academic year (p = 0.002), and social-economic status (p = 0.000). Binary logistic regression revealed that smokers (vs non-smokers, OR = 0.259, p = .034) and third-year students (vs fifth year, OR = 0.44, p = .019) were significantly associated with PTSD.ConclusionThe results presented in this research revealed a high prevalence of trauma exposure and PTSD among a sample of university students in Deir-ez-Zor. These findings call for immediate actions to help the affected population in restoring their mental health, so they can be prepared to face the challenges and demands of the post-conflict period.

"If only they forgot that I was Syrian and an Arab, I am a human beings too." Syrian university students' experiences of being a foreigner: A phenomenological study

Migration is voluntary or forced relocation of individuals from a familiar physical, social, and cultural environment to an unfamiliar one. While migration is a challenging experience, traumatic experiences that happened before and after migrating may have numerous adverse effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate Syrian nursing students’ experiences of being a foreigner before and after migration and throughout their university lives. Phenomenology, which is a qualitative research design, was used in this study. The study was conducted with 16 Syrian university students’ in Turkey. Data was collected through semi-structured, face-to-face, in-depth interviews. Data was analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis, which yielded four main themes and 19 subthemes. The four themes were traumatic experiences that caused them to migrate, problems after migrating, being a foreigner at a Turkish university, and psychological issues. The results show that migration has numerous physical, social, cultural, and mental effects on human lives.

AB-TÜRKİYE GERİ KABUL ANLAŞMASI’NIN ARDINDAN SURİYELİ GÖÇMENLERİN ENTEGRASYON SÜRECİ: İZMİR’DEKİ SURİYELİ ÜNİVERSİTE ÖĞRENCİLERİ ÖRNEĞİ

This article aims to analyze the current challenges and integration prospects of Syrian university students in İzmir. Methodologically it is based on a case study through the questionnaire results of 22 Syrian students in İzmir and 3 interviews with experts from public institutions. The article evaluates how the EU-Turkey Readmission Agreement has influenced Turkey’s integration policy over the Syrian migrants. It is argued that Syrian university students in İzmir are directly influenced from the comprehensive policies of public institutions and universities. However they still face with educational, socio-cultural and economic challenges. Generating certain solutions to those challenges can be possible through solid coordination of the institutions.

Adjustment experiences of Syrian immigrant university students in Turkey

This study intended to examine the adjustment experiences of Syrian immigrant university students through their immigration process in Turkey. A qualitative design was utilized. The participants consisted of 14 students attending to state universities in Ankara, 7 of whom were males and 7 females. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews conducted by one of the researchers. Two main categories were identified while analyzing the process of social adaptation of Syrian immigrant university students. These categories were: (a) Integration in Turkey and (b) adaptation to university life. There were six themes under these categories. These themes were; risk factors, protective factors, future expectations, resilience, sense of exclusion/belonging, and facilities at university. Each theme is further divided into subcategories. The findings of the study were discussed in the same order with these subcategories. The results showed that the Syrian university students experienced a relatively easier and faster process of adjustment compared to other Syrians in Turkey. The effects of war seemed to influence the interviewees’ endurance against hardships in Turkey and their integration process in Turkey. Some of the most prominent factors impacting the interviewees’ process of social inclusion in Turkey were their social and psychological supports, individual characteristics, attending to a university, and social activities at the respective university. Implications, limitations of the study and recommendations for future research were discussed.

War-related trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder prevalence among Syrian university students

ABSTRACT Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most prevalent mental disorders in war-affected regions. Syria has endured 9 years of war and yet little is known about the impact of the conflict on the well-being of Syrians who remain. In this study, we investigated trauma and estimated PTSD prevalence among university students in Deir-ez-Zor, a Syrian governorate that was under the siege by ISIS for over 3 years. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used on a sample of Al-Furat university students in Deir-ez-Zor. We collected data on socio-demographics, trauma exposure, and stress levels. PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 was used to provide prevalence rate estimates, and determine the symptom severity among Syrian university students. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the development of PTSD symptoms. Results: A total of 833 students were recruited into the study, 86.4% of the participants were exposed to at least one traumatic event. The estimated PTSD prevalence was 28.2%, and the highest PTSD rates were found among students who were forced into sexual act (46.3%). A significant association was found between PTSD and internal displacement (p = .032), academic year (p = .002), and social economic status (p = .000). Binary logistic regression indicated that PTSD symptoms were predicted by smoking and third-year university students. Conclusions: The results presented in this research revealed a high prevalence of trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms among a sample of university students in Deir-ez-Zor. These findings call for immediate actions to help the affected population in restoring their mental health, so they can be prepared to face the challenges and demands of the post-conflict period.

TÜRKİYE’DEKİ SURİYELİ ÜNİVERSİTE ÖĞRENCİLERİNDE SOSYAL DIŞLANMA ALGISI ÜZERİNE NİTEL BİR ARAŞTIRMA

Türkiye, son yıllarda çevresindeki ülkelerde yaşanan çatışma ve savaşların etkisiyle uluslararası göç hareketliliğinde hedef ülkelerden biri haline gelmiştir. Türkiye’nin 2011’den bu yana savaş içerisinde olan Suriye’ye coğrafi yakınlığı ve uluslararası alanda bölgedeki sorunların çözümünde aktif rol oynaması, Türkiye’ye yönelik Suriyeli göçünü beraberinde getirmiştir. Bu gelişmelerle birlikte mültecilik alanı sosyal hizmetin güncel çalışma alanlarından biri haline gelmiştir. Zorunlu göç edenler içerisinde üniversitelerde öğrenim gören Suriyeli öğrenciler de yer almaktadır. Savaş nedeniyle ülkemize göçün artmasıyla üniversitelerdeki mülteci öğrenci sayısını da giderek artmaktadır. Mülteci üniversite öğrencileri ile ilgili literatürdeki bilgiler sınırlıdır ve yapılan çalışmalar yok denecek kadar azdır. Kurumların ve öğrencilerin yaşadığı süreci sosyal hizmet bakış açısıyla analiz etmek alana dair sorunların irdelenmesinde ve çözümler üretilmesinde önemlidir. Suriyeli mülteci üniversite öğrencilerinde sosyal dışlanma sorununun çok boyutlu olarak araştırıldığı bu çalışmada 19.04.2018 - 08.06.2018 tarihleri arasında Uşak Üniversitesinde öğrenim gören 224 Suriyeli öğrenciden kartopu örnekleme yöntemi ile belirlenen 10 kadın ve 10 erkek olmak üzere 20 öğrenciyle yüz yüze derinlemesine görüşmeler yapılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Verilere içerik analizi ve tematik analiz uygulanmıştır. Suriyeli öğrencilerin ekonomik, mekânsal, şehir temelli, kültürel, eğitim, sağlık gibi boyutlarda sosyal dışlanma algıladığı görülmüştür. Ayrıca, üniversiteli Suriyelilerin mülteci olmaktan kaynaklanan sorunları yükseköğrenim sürecindeki eğitimsel sorunlarla birleştiğinde çoklu dezavantajlılığa neden olmaktadır.

Perceived stress among university students: Syrian refugees versus Jordanians

A significant number of Syrian refugees are studying in Jordan’s private universities. Syrian refugees are prone to many health problems, of which stress is one of the most common. Therefore, we aimed to compare the perceived stress between Syrian refugees and Jordanian university students. A cross-sectional comparative design was used. The study was conducted among four universities that were chosen by a stratified random sampling method according to each university’s geographical area. A total of 1180 students participated in the study and completed questionnaires, including the Perceived Stress Scale 10-item questionnaire (PSS-10). The PSS-10 revealed moderate levels of overall stress among university students. The mean level of the PSS-10 of Syrian refugees was significantly higher than for Jordanians. We also found significant differences between Syrian refugees and Jordanians in terms of their demographic characteristics, such as age. Syrian refugees who are studying in Jordan’s universities should have access to healthcare facilities and should engage in more programmes to help them control and deal with their stress.

Navigating university spaces as refugees: Syrian students’ pathways of access to and through higher education in Turkey

ABSTRACT This paper aims to explore how refugee students construct pathways of access to higher education by drawing on interviews with 15 Syrian university students studying at different universities across Turkey. The research is located within a capabilities-based human development paradigm from which it outlines the factors that enable students’ transition into university and looks at how they navigate complex higher education spaces. The refugees’ narratives show that access to university is intersectionally shaped by personal ambition, family encouragement, community support, and the social and education policy. On the other hand, their educational experiences highlight that higher education works as a site of justice where the everyday racism, xenophobia, and discrimination is alleviated to a significant degree through providing a peaceful and safe space for coexistence with others despite its financial and pedagogical constraints. The paper draws attention to the agency of students in mobilising the assets they have gained for the good and well-being of their communities and fleshes out the values universities should promote for refugee students who have accessed university against the odds.

Being a Syrian University Student in Turkey: Intergroup Relations, Psychosocial Issues, and Boundary Formation

Abstract This article reports on a qualitative study that investigates the experiences of Syrian university students in Izmir, Turkey using in-depth semi-structured interviews with 15 informants. The research is geared towards exploring the social, academic, and linguistic issues emerging in the acculturation period; factors moderating the integration process as well as students’ coping strategies. The results are discussed within the framework of Berry’s acculturation model, theory on boundary formation and intergroup relations. On the basis of the informants’ self-reports, we found that intergroup relations with mainstream Turks, language and academic issues, lack of institutional support, emerge as major themes affecting acculturation. An important finding of this study is that religiosity was a major boundary marker although the two groups share the same religion. The implications of the study are beneficial to the policy makers in anticipating the acculturation-related concerns, creating preventative measures and implementing long-term solutions.

Determining the Challenges Faced by Syrian Refugees Students at Jordanian Camps According to Their Perspective: A Case of Universities Role to Supporting

This study aimed to identify the most important challenges facing the Syrian refugee university students in Jordan camps, and the universities&amp;rsquo; role in supporting them from their perspective, by providing answers to the following questions: What are the challenges that facing the Syrian refugee university students in Jordanian camps from their perspective? And what kind of support could Jordanian universities provide for the Syrian refugee university students from their perspective? This study employs a quantitative and qualitative approach and intends to explore the challenges and opportunities for Syrian refugee students in Jordan. The results show that the large number of Syrian Refugee University Students at Jordanian camps present challenges for local communities in meeting the needs of both the refugees and the host universities. Refugees face multiple challenges in Jordan:(1) Financial shortcomings; (2) legal issues including lack of documentation and restrictive host country policies; (3) Psychological and Family challenges. Findings of the study add to the understanding of the vital role of higher education in improving living conditions and giving a sense of hope for the future. The study offers policy and program recommendations to decision- and policy-makers for the national and international communities, donors and other institutions with the overall goal to improve and guide further practice and research in supporting access to higher education.

Language Learning Strategies for English Writing: What Can Be Learned from Syrian University Students

This mixed-methods study attempts to investigate the Syrian students learning strategies with respect to learning English writing. The study enquires into an under-researched, if researched at all, context; that is English-major students and non-English-major students at two universities in Syria. One significant aim for carrying out this research is to help learners at the tertiary level ponder over why a certain strategy can be appropriate, or in fact inappropriate, to use at a certain point of their learning. This is why the research in hand has not confined itself to the mere elicitation of strategies used, but went beyond that to evoke why the reported strategies have or have not worked for the learners. The study has succeeded in extracting 13 strategies which, although context-specific, can be applicable to other contexts. The findings of this study have been related to three main areas often discussed in the literature of language learning strategies, i.e. learner autonomy, effective language learner and teacher development.

Identity and Language Use Online

Given the deeply rooted relationship between identity and language use, this article reports on a study that explores the issue of identity as a main player in Syrian university students' language use online. In specific, it investigates how Syrian university students perform their identities through their use of language online and the types of identity transformation they experience in their online communication. To address the research questions, the study employs the case study approach in order to explore the research phenomenon very closely. The findings show that identity plays a major role in the way Syrian university students access the internet and also in the choice of language they make online.