6-14 years of asylum children living in Düzce mental compliance

This study was conducted as a descriptive study in order to determine the mental adjustment status of 6-14 year old asylum seekers living in Düzce. The sample of the study consisted of 163 (90 girls, 73 boys) asylum-seekers aged 6-14 years living in the province of Düzce. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with the parents of the children using the Hacettepe Psychological Adaptation Scale. Collected data were evaluated by using percentages, Mann Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis-H and chi-square tests in SPSS database. While 25.8% of the children participated in the study, adaptation problem was found; most of them (52.4%) had behavioral problems. In our study, the most common neurotic problems were anxiety, shyness, insecurity and childhood fears. In our study, the most common behavioral problems were mobility, restlessness, irritability, inability to live with peers and not being affected by punishment. Problems such as school failure (20.9%), nail eating (11.7%) and bed wetting (5.5%) were common. Significant statistical difference was found between the groups in terms of psychological adaptation scale scores according to the presence of the disease requiring continuous follow-up /treatment of the children and the survival of the parents (p<0.01). Children who had the disease and at least one of their parents died were found to be more incompatible. As a result of the research, it was proposed to establish a team that will facilitate the adaptation for the early diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric diseases of asylum-seeker children in the cities that have migrated heavily. It was stated that this team should have a psychiatric nurse and they should adopt a transcultural approach.