A Quantitative Research on the Xenophobia Examination in Terms of Psychological Resilience: Case of Istanbul

Xenophobia can be defined as negative prejudice towards strangers. It can also be defined as the hatred of foreigners. Psychological resilience is an independent source of resistance and a personality-based tendency to mitigate and overcome the effects of a stressful life. Psychological resilience has three dimensions; commitment, control, and challenge. A review of xenophobia, in terms of psychological resilience, has not been examined yet. This study examines the xenophobic opinions and attitudes of Turkish citizens living in Istanbul against more than 4 million immigrants with various legal status in Turkey in terms of psychological resilience. As a result of the study, it was observed that psychological resilience did not function as resistance against xenophobia. This result is obtained since two of the three factors representing psychological resilience strengthen the xenophobia.