TY - JOUR
T1 - Gender differences in Syrian refugees in Jordan
T2 - Psychological, self-esteem, family function, marital satisfaction, and life satisfaction
AU - Al-Krenawi, Alean
AU - Bell, Melissa M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2022.
PY - 2023/5/1
Y1 - 2023/5/1
N2 - Aim: The current study examined gender differences in mental health, self-esteem, family function, marital satisfaction, and life satisfaction between men and women living in a refugee camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan. Method: A snowball method used by local female and male students trained to collect data according to culturally competent methods. The following research instruments were deployed: Symptoms Checklist-SCL90, Self-esteem Scale, the McMaster Family Assessment Device, Marital Satisfaction Scale, and life Satisfaction Scale. Results: A sample of 290 adults (196 women and 94 men) living in a refugee camp in Jordan participated in the study. Findings revealed that marital satisfaction, self-esteem, and life satisfaction were significantly different between males and females, indicating less subjective well-being for women. Many of the mental health symptoms in this study were more common for women than men; particularly noteworthy were somatization, obsessive compulsive behavior, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, hostility, psychoticism, and higher scores on the Global Severity Index (GSI). Conclusion: While some stressors are not gender-specific, there are unique factors that women face which place them at increased risk of mental health problems. Implications for practice include a greater understanding of the challenges and resilience mechanisms that are related to gender and culture.
AB - Aim: The current study examined gender differences in mental health, self-esteem, family function, marital satisfaction, and life satisfaction between men and women living in a refugee camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan. Method: A snowball method used by local female and male students trained to collect data according to culturally competent methods. The following research instruments were deployed: Symptoms Checklist-SCL90, Self-esteem Scale, the McMaster Family Assessment Device, Marital Satisfaction Scale, and life Satisfaction Scale. Results: A sample of 290 adults (196 women and 94 men) living in a refugee camp in Jordan participated in the study. Findings revealed that marital satisfaction, self-esteem, and life satisfaction were significantly different between males and females, indicating less subjective well-being for women. Many of the mental health symptoms in this study were more common for women than men; particularly noteworthy were somatization, obsessive compulsive behavior, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, hostility, psychoticism, and higher scores on the Global Severity Index (GSI). Conclusion: While some stressors are not gender-specific, there are unique factors that women face which place them at increased risk of mental health problems. Implications for practice include a greater understanding of the challenges and resilience mechanisms that are related to gender and culture.
KW - Jordan
KW - Syrian
KW - mental health
KW - refugee
KW - resettlement
KW - women
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85144329270&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/00207640221140286
DO - 10.1177/00207640221140286
M3 - Article
C2 - 36511135
AN - SCOPUS:85144329270
SN - 0020-7640
VL - 69
SP - 714
EP - 723
JO - International Journal of Social Psychiatry
JF - International Journal of Social Psychiatry
IS - 3
ER -