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Oppression and Resilience Minority Health

Exploring Patterns in Forgiveness and Social Connectedness among Somali Refugees in the United States: A Cluster Analysis Approach

(PS8-64) Exploring Patterns in Forgiveness and Social Connectedness Among Somali Refugees in the United States: A Cluster Analysis Approach

Saturday, November 16, 2024
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM EST
Location: Franklin Hall, Level 4, Marriott Downtown
Abstract Text: Displacement – for example due to war, human rights violations, or natural disasters – often severs social ties, contributing to negative mental health outcomes. Furthermore, displaced individuals often experience complex changes in social connectedness and feelings of revenge or forgiveness toward people who have contributed to their displacement. High forgiveness and strong social connectedness have been identified as protective factors against negative mental health outcomes. Higher forgiveness towards perpetrators of harm and higher feelings of social connectedness may facilitate both better post-traumatic growth and well-being. We conducted cluster analysis to explore patterns in forgiveness and social connectedness among trauma exposed, symptomatic, and treatment seeking sample of displaced Somalis in the United States. Somali refugees (N = 101) in Seattle, WA and Columbus, OH, completed measures assessing forgiveness (Transgression-Related Interpersonal Motivations Scale-12-Item Form, TRIM-12) and social connectedness (Social Connectedness Scale-Revised, SCS-R) as part of a randomized controlled trial (NCT03502278). We analyzed cross-sectional data at baseline through hierarchical cluster analyses and k-means analysis and identified distinct clusters with similar profiles of forgiveness and social connectedness, and their combination, using the 10th cutoff point of the Rescaled Distance Cluster Combine on the dendrograms. Hierarchical cluster analysis and k-means analysis revealed a three cluster solution for combined TRIM-12/SCS-R: moderate forgiveness, low connectedness: 53% (n = 52); high forgiveness, high connectedness: 20% (n = 20); low forgiveness, moderate connectedness: 27% (n = 26). There were statistically significant differences between clusters in both TRIM-12, F (2, 95) = 160.84, p < .001, and SCS-R, F (2, 95) = 67.42, p < .001, although results should be interpreted with caution given that significance levels were not corrected for differences among cases. Given the treatment-seeking, trauma-exposed nature of the sample, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder’s (PTSD) impairing impact on social functioning, it is unsurprising that most participants (53%) endorsed low social connectedness and moderate forgiveness. However, given that one cluster, containing 20% of the sample, endorsed high levels of forgiveness and social connectedness, suggests that there may be a positive association between these constructs. Future research may examine the role of family relocation, time since displacement, type of trauma (interpersonal vs. non-interpersonal trauma), and ability to form connections with host communities in relation to forgiveness and social connectedness. Identifying factors that facilitate forgiveness and strengthen social connectedness can inform clinical practices that address context specific challenges and promote resilience, ultimately enhancing displaced individuals’ wellbeing and adjustment to new environments. Future research should examine whether forgiveness - social connectedness clustering predicts PTSD symptom severity, given associations between greater connectedness and forgiveness with reduced clinical severity.