The Psychosocial Effects of Negative Social Media Discourses Directed at Syrian Refugees on Afghan International University Students: A Qualitative Study

This study examines the psychological effects on Afghan international students legally residing in Turkey of negative social media content directed at Syrian refugees. Although Afghan students are not the direct target of these contents, such discourses may indirectly create feelings of threat, exclusion, insecurity, and weakened sense of belonging. The research was conducted within the framework of a qualitative phenomenological design, and the data collected through semi-structured interviews with 40 Afghan international students studying at different universities in Turkey were analysed using the thematic analysis method. The findings show that most of the participants frequently encounter negative content directed at Syrian refugees on social media. In general, the findings indicate that digital anti-refugee discourse produces significant psychosocial consequences for Afghan international students. In addition, in the conclusion section of the study, solution recommendations were presented for preventing negative content and for reducing the psychological effects on individuals exposed to such content.