Regulatory focus, coping strategies and symptoms of depression and anxiety: A comparison between Syrian refugees in Turkey and Germany

This research explored the relation of self-regulation and coping strategies on mental well-being amongst Syrian refugees in different contexts to provide insight into how self-regulation might be linked to successful coping (Grant & Higgins, 2003) and inform potential interventions. Syrian refugees in Turkey (N = 273) and Germany (N = 169) completed the Regulatory Focus Questionnaire (measuring promotion and prevention focus; Higgins et al., 2001), the COPE Scale (measuring problem-focused, emotion-focused, and maladaptive coping; Carver et al., 1989) and the Hopkins Physical Symptoms Checklist-25 (measuring symptoms of anxiety and depression; Derogatis et al., 1974). Compared to refugees in Turkey, those in Germany had a stronger promotion focus, reported more problemand emotion-focused but less maladaptive coping, and less symptoms. Regarding the indirect effects of regulatory focus on these symptoms via coping strategies, moderated mediation analyses revealed that both foci were positively related to problem-focused coping, but this strategy increased symptoms in the Turkey sample and was unrelated to symptoms in the German sample (whilst in both samples promotion was related to reduced symptoms). Both foci were positively related to emotion-focused coping, which was unrelated to reported symptoms. Promotion (and in the Turkey sample also prevention) had an indirect effect on reduced symptoms via reduced maladaptive coping, These findings suggest that promotion focus is a resilience factor among refugees, that problem-focused coping is counter-productive in certain situations, and that generally a focus on reducing maladaptive coping (especially aided by promotion focus) is desirable. They provide insights for targeted interventions among refugees