This document discusses a study examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Syrian refugee youth in Metro Detroit. It notes that the pandemic led to social restrictions, transition to online learning, increased boredom and isolation for these youth. Syrian refugee youth already faced challenges prior to the pandemic from exposure to violence and war in Syria and the difficulties of resettlement. The study aims to examine how the pandemic has affected anxiety and post-traumatic stress levels in these youth over time and how early life adversity impacts their resilience. It involves interviewing 75 Syrian refugee youth ages 10-17 who were previously part of a risk and resilience study.

2. Impact of COVID‐19 Pandemic on Mental Health
of Syrian Refugee Youth in Metro Detroit
Noor Abou-Rass, Lana R. Grasser, Arash Javanbakht
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences

3. •COVID-19 Pandemic
•Transition to online learning
•Social restrictions
•Impact on children’s mental health
•Resettled Syrian Refugee youth
•Existing challenges prior to pandemic
•Exposures to violence and war
•Experiencing varying doses of adversity
•Existing longitudinal cohort examining effects of pandemic
Abstract

4. Introduction
COVID-19 Pandemic
•Social restrictions
•Transition to home-based distance-learning models
Increased boredom and isolation
Reduced daily structure
Syrian Civil War
•Exposure to civilian war trauma
•Forced migration
•Isolation from children with no migration background
•Language barriers
High levels of anxiety and post traumatic stress

5. Introduction: Purpose
To examine the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on
anxiety and post traumatic stress in Syrian refugee youth
•Trajectories of symptoms over time
•Effect of early life adversity on resilience levels
•Comparison to other youth cohorts

6. Introduction: Hypothesis
Low doses of
early life adversity
Lower levels of prior
psychopathology
Greater resilience
and adaptability
Higher doses of
early life adversity
Significant
trauma-related
psychopathology
Lower resilience
and adaptability
Increased mental
health concerns

7. Methodology
• Contact previously interviewed refugee youth
• Consent to being contacted for future studies
• Receive consent from parent and child
• Conduct virtual interview
• Administer questionnaires verbally
• Provide electronic copy
• Duration - 45 minutes
• Compensation
• Statistical analyses
• Multilevel models
• Mediation analyses

8. Methodology: Participants
Syrian Refugee Youth
•n=75
•Ages 10-17
•Males and females
•English or Arabic speaking
Initially recruited for Risk and Resilience study

9. Acknowledgments
Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic (S.T.A.R.C)