The cold face of war: Acculturation stress and anxiety levels in children forced to migrate due to war

This study examined acculturative stress and state anxiety among Afghan refugee minors forced to migrate due to war, comparing unaccompanied minors with those who migrated with their parents. The sample comprised 136 participants aged 10–18 years: 77 accompanied and 59 unaccompanied refugee minors. Acculturative stress was measured via the Acculturative Stress Scale, and state anxiety was assessed via the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC). Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. The results indicated that unaccompanied refugee minors experienced significantly higher levels of both acculturative stress and state anxiety than their accompanied peers did. These findings underscore the substantial psychological burden associated with migrating without parental support and highlight the importance of implementing targeted, trauma-informed mental health interventions to foster resilience and emotional well-being among unaccompanied refugee minors. © The Author(s) 2026.