The Predictive Ability of Psychological Stress on psychosocial Adaptation Among Elderly Syrian Refugees in Jordan

Abstract

The study aimed to examine the levels of psychological stress and psychosocial adjustment among older Syrian refugees in Jordan, and to determine whether there are statistically significant differences in the predictive power of psychological stress on psychosocial adjustment attributable to gender and income level. The study employed a descriptive–predictive quantitative design and was conducted on a sample of 207 older Syrian refugees residing in Amman. The findings indicate that older Syrian refugees in Jordan experience psychological stress at an overall elevated level, with economic and psychological stressors emerging as more severe compared to health-related and social stressors. Prominent economic stressors included fear of the discontinuation of assistance, financial insecurity, and loss of economic independence. Psychological stress was characterized by deep emotional distress associated with homesickness, loss and bereavement, chronic grief, death anxiety, and fear of returning to Syria amid the ongoing transitional phase. Regarding health-related stressors, significant barriers were identified in relation to treatment costs and limited access to healthcare services. While family ties functioned as a protective factor that mitigated social stress, feelings of distress stemming from emptiness and loss of social role persisted. The results further revealed that psychosocial adjustment was fragile, reflected in low self-acceptance and body image, excessive preoccupation with health deterioration, and a marked tendency toward social withdrawal and avoidance of social interaction among older adults.