A study on the relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety symptoms and the quality of life of Syrian refugees: A case study of Kayseri province

This thesis aims to empirically examine the determinants of PTSD, depression and anxiety, mental health disorders and the quality of life, as well as the relationships between mental disorders and the quality of life of Syrian refugees who were displaced due to the war and had to migrate to Turkey. Within the scope of this study, the data collected from 613 Syrian refugees living in the province of Kayseri were analyzed. For this research, frequency analyzes were performed to evaluate the data structure and for some descriptive analyzes. The reliability of the data collection tools used in the study was tested with the Cronbach Alpha Coefficient method. The validity of the data collection tools was tested with the Explanatory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis methods. The correlations between the variables used in the study were examined through correlations, the independent samples t-test and the one-way ANOVA analysis. The hypotheses formed in the context of research models were tested with path and moderator effect analyses. As a result of the study, it was determined that mental disorders and the quality of life of Syrian refugees are related to different socio-demographic characteristics and that mental disorders of refugees have an impact on their quality of life. It is recommended to increase the number of employment and social supports, and to expand mental health services for women in order to increase the social cohesion of Syrian refugees and improve their mental disorders and quality of life during their stay in Turkey. Keywords: Anxiety, Depression, Post-traumatic stress disorder, Quality of life, Syrian refugees