Browsing by Author "Mahlet Amare"

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    Social Support, Resilience and Psychological Distress, Among Refugees: The Case of Alemwach Refugee Camp in North Gonder, Ethiopia
    (Addis Ababa University, 2024-11) Mahlet Amare; Mitiku Hambisa (PhD)
    This study investigated the relationship between psychological distress, social support, and resilience among refugees in the Alemwach refugee camp in North Gondar, Ethiopia. Different literatures related with psychological distress, social support, and resilience was widely discussed in relation to the research objective. The research used quantitative research approach with descriptive and inferential data analysis using a quantitative research approach. A simple random sampling technique was used to select questionnaire respondents, while convenience sampling was applied for interviews. Data were collected using the Kessler K10 scale for psychological distress, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Multidimensional Cognitive Social Support Scale. Out of 384 distributed questionnaires, 369 were completed, resulting in a 96% response rate, with data analyzed using SPSS version 24. The findings revealed that 30.4% of refugees reported high social support, 40.5% reported moderate support, and 26.1% reported low support levels. In terms of resilience, 68.28% exhibited high resilience, 23.03% showed moderate resilience and 8.13% had low resilience. Regarding psychological distress, 2.4% experienced severe distress, 45% mild distress, 15.5% moderate distress, and 37.1% low distress. A significant negative correlation was found between psychological distress and social support (r = -0.342**, p = 0.00), indicating that higher social support is associated with lower psychological distress; conversely, psychological distress is positively correlated with resilience, while social support is also positively related to resilience. Gender and age differences were observed, with females and younger refugees experiencing higher psychological distress compared to males and older refugees who reported greater resilience and social support. The study recommends that enhancing social support networks and fostering resilience are essential for reducing psychological distress among refugees, recommending initiatives such as resilience training programs, hiring more mental health professionals, addressing gender-specific needs, promoting community-led initiatives, and improving collaboration among humanitarian organizations. Key words: psychological distress, Refugees, Resilience, social support