Refugee Children and Peer- Relationships; Evaluations of Teachers

Abstract

Background Refugee children need to make new friends in the countries where they live, adapt, and get to know each other with other children. This study aims to examine the peer relationships of refugee children in the preschool period. For this purpose, the peer relationships of 160 refugee children were analyzed. Method The method used in this study is mixed, and the design of the study is an explanatory sequential mixed design. The research participants were 160 refugee children who took preschool education in Gaziantep in the 2023–2024 academic year. The qualitative data needed to examine refugee children's classroom peer relationships in more detail were provided by five preschool teachers. Results According to the results obtained from the study, the gender of the children was found to be an effective factor in peer relations, aggression, and social skills. The Turkish-speaking level of refugee children positively affected their peer relations, social skills, and total scores, it did not have a significant effect on the aggression dimension. There was no significant correlation found between the class sizes of the children and their peer relations, aggression, social skills, and total scores. As a result of the interviews with the teachers, they stated that the social behavior of refugee children in the classroom varies according to their knowledge of Turkish, adaptation to Turkish culture, financial status, and gender of the child.