The purpose of this study was to explore exposure to trauma as well as demographic and psychosocial factors as predictors of mental health symptoms among Somali refugees in Kenya. Participants were recruited via snowball sampling to complete a survey and included 86 Somali refugee youth, aged 15 to 34 years, who were living in Eastleigh. We measured trauma using a total traumas experienced variable as well as four trauma types categories (pre-migration/migration trauma, post-migration trauma, family trauma, and individual trauma). We measured anxiety and depression symptoms using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25) and PTSD using the PTSD Check List – Civilian Version (PCL-C). We ran descriptive statistics followed by multiple linear regression models with trauma exposure, education, gender, and willingness to share problems as predictors of mental health symptoms. Out of 12 possible traumatic events, most participants (83.7%) reported experiencing at least one trauma, and participants reported experiencing an average of 3.76 total traumas. The regression models predicted between 11.5% and 35.5% of the variance of the mental health symptoms. Willingness to share problems was a significant predictor of decreased mental health symptoms in most models. These findings highlight the role of trauma exposure and psychosocial factors in predicting Somali refugee mental health and indicate that implementing programs to encourage problem sharing may help address Somali refugee mental health needs. Further research is needed to explore the differential impact of trauma exposure and various psychosocial factors on Somali refugee mental health.

本研究的目的是探索在肯尼亚的索马里难民中暴露于创伤以及人口和心理社会因素作为心理健康症状的预测因素。通过雪球抽样招募参与者以完成一项调查，其中包括居住在伊斯特利的 86 名 15 至 34 岁的索马里难民青年。我们使用经历过的总创伤变量以及四种创伤类型类别（移民前/移民后创伤、移民后创伤、家庭创伤和个人创伤）来衡量创伤。我们使用 Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25) 测量焦虑和抑郁症状，使用 PTSD Check List – Civilian Version (PCL-C) 测量 PTSD。我们运行描述性统计数据，然后使用创伤暴露、教育、性别、以及愿意分享问题作为心理健康症状的预测因素。在 12 起可能的创伤事件中，大多数参与者（83.7%）报告至少经历过一次创伤，参与者报告平均经历了 3.76 次创伤。回归模型预测了心理健康症状方差的 11.5% 到 35.5%。在大多数模型中，分享问题的意愿是减少心理健康症状的重要预测因素。这些发现强调了创伤暴露和心理社会因素在预测索马里难民心理健康方面的作用，并表明实施鼓励问题共享的计划可能有助于解决索马里难民的心理健康需求。需要进一步研究来探索创伤暴露和各种心理社会因素对索马里难民心理健康的不同影响。