Table 1 Identified studies’ data

Care Jordan [45]

60 household (3 with refugees with disabilities); 327 people surveyed (10 have special needs)

Interviews, surveys, data analysis, and focus group discussions

Refugees with disabilities reported feelings of isolation and loss of community.

Limited access to basic psychosocial support services, such as healthcare, housing, education, and food

Care Jordan [46]

534 household members (4% with special needs)

Interviews, surveys, and focus group discussions

Participants reported feelings of depression, family violence, and symptoms of psychological distress.

Psychosocial support programs needed for refugees with disabilities should include psychosocial assessment and coping strategies.

Crock, Saul, McCallum and Smith-Khan [25]

124 refugees with disabilities, government officials, and international NGO staff in Turkey and 11 refugees with disabilities in Jordan

Field visit, interviews, discussion groups, and questionnaires

Refugees with disabilities are facing significant challenges in accessing psychosocial support programs.

Psychological distress was common among Syrian refugees generally, and highest among those with a disability and older refugees.

Dababnah, Habayeb, Bear, and Hussein [47]

9 parents and 11 teachers of refugee children with ASD.

Intervention sessions and interviews

A specialized intervention program was implemented to improve parents and teachers’ skills to support refugee children with ASD.

Parents and teachers’ skills were improved in supporting the social behaviors of children with ASD.

Participants recommend the program to others. Especially in dealing with psychological trauma.

HelpAge International [13]

3202 Syrian refugees (716 refugees with impairment, 501 refugees with chronic disease, and 183 injured refugees).

Surveys and interviews

Refugees with disabilities have frequent signs. Of psychological distress three times more than the general refugee population.

Lack of services that provide psychological support to refugees with disabilities.

Limited number of refugees with disabilities’ families receiving community and family support services.

IREX and AFPRD [26]

300 refugees with disabilities and 125 key informants

Surveys, focus group discussions, and interviews

Refugees with disabilities are vulnerable and less able to protect themselves from exploitation, violence, and abuse.

Refugees with mental or intellectual disabilities or those facing language barriers have obstacles to receiving needed support and services.

There is a shortage of psychological support. Services provided to refugees with disabilities.

Community and family support services for refugees with disabilities are provided in some countries.

Strong, Varady, Chahda, Doocy, and Burnham [48]

167 Syrian refugees (8% with physical disabilities, 13% with vision impairment, and 9% with hearing impairment)

Surveys and interviews

Common negative emotions that affect older refugees’ ability to perform day-to-day functions.

Physical health and lacking support contributed to developing negative feelings among older refugees.

Women’s Refugee Commission [27]

80 humanitarian actors and 120 refugees

Field assessment

Limitation of access to Social Development centers and outreach services, especially to refugees with severe disabilities, who are most vulnerable to social isolation and exclusion.

Vulnerable refugees with disabilities and their families need to be included in available community centers’ activities in order to build their capacity and resilience, as well as providing positive psychosocial outcomes.

Yamamoto and Matsuo [49]

12 Syrian refugees with disabilities and their families

Questionnaires and interviews

Refugees with disabilities and their families had restrictions in accessing community and family support services.

Community and family support services in Jordan include rehabilitation, education, financial, and social services.