Investigating Community Resilience and Social Support: A Study of Ukrainian Women Refugees

Refugees forced to migrate to host contexts as a result of armed conflict often experience high levels of distress due to the multiple stressors to which they are exposed. From an ecological perspective, social support becomes a key factor in fostering community resilience, thereby promoting the well-being of these individuals and buffering the effects of stress. The present study aims to investigate whether community resilience mediates the relationship between distress and well-being and to assess whether social support plays a moderating role between distress and community resilience among Ukrainian women refugees in the Italian host context. Through an online survey, 150 Ukrainian refugee women completed a questionnaire measuring community resilience, social support, distress, and well-being. A moderate mediation model was estimated. There is a direct relationship between distress and well-being and a partially mediated relationship through community resilience, which increases well-being. In the mediated relationship, increased well-being is achieved through increased social support. The results highlight the important role of social support and community resilience in mitigating the distress experienced by refugees. These results underscore the importance of fostering supportive contexts and promoting community resilience as essential factors in improving refugee well-being in host countries.