Refugees, Trauma, and Positive Psychological Change: Mindfulness as a Moderator for Posttraumatic Growth
Ertan Yılmaz1, Ufuk Bal2, Emre Dirican3
1Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay 31000, Turkey.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|February 13, 2026
Summary
Posttraumatic growth (PTG) in Syrian refugees is negatively impacted by PTSD symptoms, but mindfulness can foster positive outcomes. Higher mindfulness levels, particularly above a score of 78, are linked to increased posttraumatic growth.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Trauma Studies
- Refugee Mental Health
Background:
- Traumatic experiences can result in both negative and positive psychological changes.
- Posttraumatic growth (PTG) refers to positive psychological changes experienced after trauma.
- Understanding factors influencing PTG is crucial for supporting individuals with traumatic histories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate factors associated with posttraumatic growth (PTG) in Syrian refugees residing in Turkey.
- To examine the direct and indirect effects of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms and mindfulness on PTG.
- To identify potential threshold effects of mindfulness on PTG within this population.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study with 240 Syrian refugees.
- Utilized Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5), Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS).
- Employed path analysis and Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline (MARS) analysis.
Main Results:
- PTSD symptoms showed a significant negative direct effect on PTG (β = -0.291, p < 0.001).
- PTSD symptoms indirectly influenced PTG through mindfulness (β = -0.254), with a total effect of -0.545.
- Mindfulness positively impacted PTG when Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) scores exceeded 78.
Conclusions:
- PTSD symptoms are linked to PTG in refugees via direct and indirect pathways.
- Mindfulness plays a significant role in the development of posttraumatic growth among Syrian refugees.
- Interventions aimed at enhancing mindfulness may promote PTG in trauma-affected populations.
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