Date of Award:

8-2026

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Human Development and Family Studies

Committee Chair(s)

Aryn M. Dotterer

Committee

Aryn M. Dotterer

Committee

Joshua Turner

Committee

Gonca Soyer

Abstract

Although it has been more than a decade since the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) imposed genocide upon the Yazidi people, an ethnic minority indigenous to Kurdistan, research on the psychological health of this community is lacking. While traumatic experiences and the accumulation of stressors can overwhelm one’s capacity for resilience, making it especially difficult for refugees to adapt and recover from their experiences. Posttraumatic Growth Theory posits that individuals may overcome such challenges and even undergo positive life transformations. Data were collected from Yazidi young adults using an online survey and examined the associations between resilience, hope, and posttraumatic growth, using Posttraumatic Growth Theory as a guide. Results showed that resilience was positively associated with hope, and hope was positively associated with posttraumatic growth. There was no significant association between resilience and posttraumatic growth, and no significant results for hope acting as a mediator between these two variables. Findings suggest that resilience and hope are positively associated. Identifying the presence of resilience, hope, and posttraumatic growth in refugees supports a strengths-based approach to evaluating and meeting the needs of vulnerable populations. This study also advocates for the Yazidis and other minority groups who have been largely ignored in academic research from which they could benefit.

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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