Abstract
Background: The Syrian conflict, which began in 2011, at the time created the largest humanitarian disaster since World War II. Within the population impacted by the conflict are specific groups, such as mothers and their children, who are more vulnerable to the effects of violence and trauma. This research aims to understand the experiences related to mothering of Syrian refugee mothers, before and during the conflict, as well as after their displacement to Jordan. Method: Fifteen participants were recruited from a non-governmental organization in the Irbid province of Jordan. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was completed using a Narrative Inquiry approach. First, a sjuzet-fabula analysis was completed to identify not only what participants said but also how they told their stories. Second, building upon the sjuzet-fabula analysis, 12 themes and 16 subthemes were identified across several distinct time periods: Pre-conflict, During the conflict, Leaving Syria, and Resettlement in Jordan. The major identified themes are: Idealized Memory of Lives, Positive Relationship with their Children, Parenting Values, Family Roles, Role of Faith, Experience of the Conflict, Impact of Conflict on Families Mental Health, Experiences of Mothering, Decision to Leave Syria, Creating a New Life, Continued Trauma, and Future Thinking. Findings are discussed within the context of resilience and the Adaptation and Development after Persecution model (Silove, 2013) along with the recommendations for future research, implications for clinical practice, and limitations of this study.