Intersections of Social Support: Hope, Agency, and Efficacy

• In Event: Intersections of Support: Hope, Agency, and Efficacy

Abstract

Two qualitative phenomenological studies were designed to elicit Syrian refugee students’ and their teachers’ perceptions regarding the social support needed for academic success. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 male Syrian eighth graders and 10 male Lebanese teachers at a middle school in Lebanon. House’s social support framework served as the theoretical lens through which data were collected and analyzed. Findings from this study revealed teachers, supervisors, and administrators as expected major providers of the social supports that Syrian refugee students need to excel in their studies, and at the same time, teachers need support from colleagues and administrators. These findings are important for school administrators, NGOs, and policymakers. The paper concludes with recommendations for practice and future research.

Authors

• Thomas DeVere Wolsey, The American University in Cairo

• Ibrahim M. Karkouti, The American University in Cairo

• Mustafa Toprak, American University in Cairo