Publicação

“It’s the God factor”: A qualitative study of Syrian Muslims’ post-war religious meaning-making

Detalhes bibliográficos
Resumo:	Objective: Religious meaning-making may facilitate psychological adjustment to even the most extreme traumatic stressors, including war and forced displacement. Yet few studies have examined the religious meaning-making trajectories of refugees and none from an Islamic perspective. Method: This qualitative cross-sectional study investigated Syrian Muslims’ post-war meaning-making experiences, guided by Park’s (2010) meaning-making model. Results: Thirty-three Syrian Muslim refugees living in Portugal were interviewed eight years after the onset of the war. Thematic analysis was used to explore cognitive reappraisal processes informed by Islam. Key results suggest: the recurrent nature of meaning-making throughout refugees’ displacement trajectories; religious struggles as a key determinant of religious meaning-making; meaning-making as dynamic trajectories with no clear end; place of settlement as a source of meaning; and the ability of Islam to withstand extreme challenges and provide a last-resort narrative, even for those individuals with severely eroded beliefs. Findings highlight the need for practitioners in host countries to incorporate faith and religious traditions in the provision of care.
Autores principais:	Matos, Lisa
Outros Autores:	Park, Crystal; Indart, Monica J.; Leal, Isabel
Assunto:	Psychology of religion Psychology of Islam Trauma recovery Religious coping
Ano:	2023
País:	Portugal
Tipo de documento:	artigo
Tipo de acesso:	acesso aberto
Instituição associada:	Ispa-Instituto Universitário
Idioma:	inglês
Origem:	Repositório do Ispa - Instituto Universitário

Descrição
Resumo:	Objective: Religious meaning-making may facilitate psychological adjustment to even the most extreme traumatic stressors, including war and forced displacement. Yet few studies have examined the religious meaning-making trajectories of refugees and none from an Islamic perspective. Method: This qualitative cross-sectional study investigated Syrian Muslims’ post-war meaning-making experiences, guided by Park’s (2010) meaning-making model. Results: Thirty-three Syrian Muslim refugees living in Portugal were interviewed eight years after the onset of the war. Thematic analysis was used to explore cognitive reappraisal processes informed by Islam. Key results suggest: the recurrent nature of meaning-making throughout refugees’ displacement trajectories; religious struggles as a key determinant of religious meaning-making; meaning-making as dynamic trajectories with no clear end; place of settlement as a source of meaning; and the ability of Islam to withstand extreme challenges and provide a last-resort narrative, even for those individuals with severely eroded beliefs. Findings highlight the need for practitioners in host countries to incorporate faith and religious traditions in the provision of care.