Examining Leisure Activities and Social Anxiety Levels of Refugee Children in Türkiye
M Yazıcı-Gülay, İC Siğirtmaç, N Şahan, T ArslanBackground:
Exposure to the traumatic effects of war and migration increases the anxiety levels of children and adolescents, disrupts their social and academic functions, and leads to negative effects on their mental and physical health in the long term.
Aim:
To examine the relationship between leisure time activities and social anxiety levels of adolescent refugees/asylum seekers settling in a new country.
Methods:
The study involved 126 refugee children, aged 11–14, attending primary and middle school in Turkey. The children’s sociodemographic characteristics were assessed using the “Personal Information Form,” while their leisure activities were evaluated using the “Children’s Leisure Activities Study Survey (only active section).” Their levels of social anxiety were assessed using the “Social Anxiety Scale for Children-Revised.”
Results:
It was found that 94.44% of adolescents engaged in high-intensity activities on weekdays and 65.08% on weekends. These activities included household chores, cycling, and football. Anxiety levels were below average in 53.17% of adolescents and above average in 46.82%. No significant relationship was found between leisure activities and social anxiety (
Conclusion:
It was found that refugee adolescents’ social anxiety levels were related to their family structure, and their leisure activities mostly consisted of physical activities that included school and home responsibilities.