‘Let it stay in the heart’: cultural and gendered experiences of distress among Syrian refugees in Jordan

This qualitative study explored cultural and gendered experiences of distress among Syrian refugees in Jordan to inform the adaptation of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services. The research aimed to understand perceived causes of distress, the local expressions used to describe it, and gendered coping strategies.

Eight focus group discussions, four with men and four with women, were facilitated by gender-matched Jordanian researchers. The transcripts were analysed in Arabic using thematic analysis and validated through translation review.

The study identified four core themes related to the experience, causes, and consequences of distress, as well as gender similarities and differences in how distress is expressed and managed. It also highlighted the complexity of the terms used and the difficulty of prioritising them.

Findings underscore the need for MHPSS interventions to be both culturally grounded and gender sensitive in order to be effective and meaningful in refugee settings.