Longitudinal relationships between coping strategies, cultural orientations, and mental health among young refugees from the Middle East in Germany

Abstract

Upon arrival in the host country, young refugees typically experience post-migration stress due to the daily challenges of the new environment and culture they encounter. This study examined changes in cultural orientations toward both the dominant and the society of origin in young refugees and their possible indirect association with the interplay between the prior adoption of coping strategies - classified as functional (seeking social support, problem-focused coping, palliative emotion regulation) or dysfunctional (avoidant coping, anger-related emotion regulation) - and later mental health outcomes, including internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Data of 94 Middle Eastern refugees in Germany aged 8 to 18 years (Mage = 13.32 years, SDage = 2.98 years, 46% female), who completed questionnaires at two time-points approximately one year apart, were analyzed. Path analytic results show that young refugees who actively addressed problems and sought social support were better adapted to their environment, namely reported more cultural integration and fewer internalizing and externalizing symptoms over time. They also used functional approaches to emotion regulation. No effects were found for avoidant coping and anger-related coping strategies. However, the small scale of the indirect effects observed points to the potential involvement of contextual factors in the relationships studied. Therefore, a combination of support programs and conducive environments where functional stress coping strategies can be developed and practiced in the acculturation context could be crucial for successful socio-cultural adjustment and beneficial for the mental health of young refugees in Western countries.