Forced Migrant: The Factors Contributing to Social Functionality of Syrian Youth

Abstract

Forced migrants face many problems during the forced migration process. At the forefront of these problems is the negative impact of the forced migration process on their social functionality. The aim of this study is to investigate the factors contributing to the social functionality of Syrian youth under temporary protection status in Turkey. The sample of the study consisted of 326 young Syrian forced migrants aged 18 to 29 who are under temporary protection status in Turkey and was conducted in Istanbul, Sakarya, and Izmir. The study was carried out with the quantitative method and snowball sampling. The obtained data were evaluated by correlation, mediator and moderator analysis methods. According to the data obtained in the study, Perceived social support and satisfaction with life have a significant effect on social functionality. Satisfaction with life has a full mediating effect on the effect of perceived social support on social functionality. In other words, as a Syrian youth's perceived social support grows, so does their social functionality, and satisfaction with life has a full mediating positive effect on this relationship. Planning activity, which is an active coping strategy, has a positive moderating effect on the connection between perceived social support and social functionality, according to this model. In this context, social work practice with a multidimensional community is recommended.