Trauma experiences, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and psychological well-being of Syrian refugees in Jordan and the United States.

The purpose of this study was to assess the traumatic experiences, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and psychological distress of adult refugees from Syria who relocated to Jordan or the United States (N = 59; 34 women, 25 men; 41 in Jordan and 18 in the United States). We also examined whether country of destination, gender, and age were related to outcomes. Refugees in the United States experienced significantly higher rates of ethnic or religious discrimination/oppression (p = .03) and having witnessed violence and/or abuse (p = .04). However, PTSD symptoms were above the clinical cutoff for refugees in Jordan and below the cutoff for refugees in the United States. Descriptive data on PTSD caseness indicated 24% of refugees in Jordan (10 out of 41) met this criterion, compared to 11% in the United States (two out of 18). Significantly greater distress (p = .001), anxiety (p = .04), and depression (p = .001) were also reported among refugees in Jordan. In the total study sample, women reported significantly higher PTSD symptoms than men (p = .04), but there were no significant gender differences for distress, anxiety, or depression. Also in the total sample, greater age was associated with higher distress (p = .03) and depression (p = .04), but age was not significantly associated with PTSD or anxiety. These findings provide further insights into trauma experiences of refugees and destinations following relocation. The findings also suggest factors influencing PTSD in subgroups such as women and refugees residing in Jordan should be considered in support programs.