scholarly journals Role of childhood adversities and environmental sensitivity in the development of post-traumatic stress disorder in war-exposed Syrian refugee children and adolescents

2019 ◽  
Vol 214 (06) ◽  
pp. 354-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elie G. Karam ◽  
John A. Fayyad ◽  
Claudia Farhat ◽  
Michael Pluess ◽  
Youmna C. Haddad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Refugee Children ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Environmental Sensitivity ◽  
Childhood Adversities ◽  
Syrian Refugee ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Effects Of War

BackgroundIncreased post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rates have been documented in children exposed to war. However, the contribution of childhood adversities and environmental sensitivity to children's responses to adversities and trauma are still far from settled.AimsTo evaluate the relative roles of war, childhood adversities and sensitivity in the genesis of PTSD.MethodData on childhood adversities and sensitivity was collected from 549 Syrian refugee children in Lebanon. PTSD symptoms were assessed using the PTSD Reaction Index.ResultsAlthough childhood adversities, war events and sensitivity were all significantly related to PTSD in bivariate analyses, multivariate analyses showed that childhood adversities were the most important variable in predicting PTSD. The effect of war on PTSD was found to be dependent on the interplay between childhood adversities and sensitivity, and was most prominent in highly sensitive children with lower levels of adversities; in sensitive children experiencing high levels of adversities, the effects of war exposure on PTSD were less pronounced.ConclusionsWhen considering the effects of war on PTSD in refugee children, it is important to take account of the presence of other adversities as well as of children's sensitivity. Sensitive children may be more vulnerable to the negative effects of war exposure, but only in contexts that are characterised by low childhood adversities.Declaration of interestNone.

scholarly journals Efficiency of Intervention Counseling Program on the Enhanced Psychological Well-being and Reduced Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Among Syrian Women Refugee Survivors

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 134-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Sa’ad Saleh Alsheikh Ali
Keyword(s):  
Civil Wars ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Refugee Women ◽  
Syrian Refugee ◽  
Post Traumatic

Background: The number of individuals displaced from their original countries due to civil wars, hunger, disasters, and international wars is increasing worldwide day by day. These refugees are more vulnerable to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Objective: The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the intervention program in improving the well-being and reducing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among a sample of Syrian refugee women in Jordan who had been displaced due to civil wars in Syria. Methods: The study recruited 40 Syrian refugee females in Jordan who were psychologically challenged, with high PTSD symptoms (assessed by PCL) and a psychological well-being impairment (assessed by PWD). The culture of Jordanian society discriminates and affects the Syrian refugee women, rendering them vulnerable to PTSD. Quasi-experimental design was used, wherein the participants were randomly distributed in experimental and control groups (n=20/group). The control group members did not receive any services related to psychological support or psychiatric medications, while the experimental group underwent a counseling program. Results: The present study demonstrated that the intervention program improves the well-being and reduces PTSD among the Syrian refugee women who constituted the experimental group. The intervention program and the PTSD manifestation were not affected by age. The present study recommended that the program be applied to the refugees in Jordan to improve the well-being of the women in the residential areas. Conclusion: Furthermore, an intervention on the Jordanian cultural impact on the refugee camps was also essential if the condition for the female refugees worsened. Lastly, the effect of Jordanian culture on Syrian refugees should be investigated since the literature presented a negative impact.

scholarly journals Differentiating ICD-11 complex post-traumatic stress disorder from other common mental disorders based on levels of exposure to childhood adversities, the traumas of persecution and postmigration living difficulties among refugees from West Papua

BJPsych Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 361-367
Author(s):  
Derrick Silove ◽  
Susan Rees ◽  
Mohammed Mohsin ◽  
Natalino Tam ◽  
Moses Kareth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Interpersonal Trauma ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Childhood Adversities ◽  
Cultural Validity ◽  
Post Traumatic

BackgroundFollowing years of controversy, a category of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) will be included in the forthcoming ICD-11.AimsTo test whether refugees with CPTSD differ from those with other common mental disorders (CMDs) in the degree of exposure to childhood adversities, adult interpersonal trauma and post-traumatic hardship.MethodSurvey of 487 West Papuan refugees (response rate 85.5%) in Papua New Guinea.ResultsRefugees with CPTSD had higher exposure to childhood adversities (CPTSD: mean 2.6, 95% CI 2.5–2.7 versus CMD: mean 1.15, 95% CI 1.10–1.20), interpersonal trauma (CPTSD: mean 9, 95% CI 8.6–9.4 versus CMD: mean 5.4, 95% CI 5.4–5.5) and postmigration living difficulties (CPTSD: mean 2.3, 95% CI 2–2.5 versus CMD mean 1.85, 95% CI 1.84–1.86), compared with those with CMDs who in turn exceeded those with no mental disorder on all these indices.ConclusionsThe findings support the cross-cultural validity of CPTSD as a reaction to high levels of exposure to recurrent interpersonal trauma and associated adversities.Declaration of interestNone.

Unaccompanied minors’ experiences of narrative exposure therapy

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glorianne Said ◽  
Yaman Alqadri ◽  
Dorothy King
Keyword(s):  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Exposure Therapy ◽  
Refugee Children ◽  
List Type ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Unaccompanied Minors ◽  
Narrative Exposure Therapy ◽  
Post Traumatic

Abstract Despite the understanding that unaccompanied minors’ (UAM) experience high rates of post-traumatic stress, the provision of evidence-based trauma-focused therapies is low for this population. Narrative exposure therapy (NET) is an effective short-term intervention for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after multiple traumatic experiences, such as those experienced by UAM. Within the existing literature, there is a lack of research investigating unaccompanied minors’ experiences of NET or any trauma-focused therapy. Participants were four UAM experiencing PTSD who formed part of a pilot delivery of NET within a dedicated child and adolescent mental health service for refugee children. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). This project identified five themes that encapsulated unaccompanied minors’ experiences of receiving NET, including the process of preparing for this therapy, what it was like to receive it, and the differences they identified at the end of treatment. The significance of this taking place within a safe therapeutic relationship was explored within the context of the attachment losses experienced by UAM, and the impact this has on emotion regulation was considered. The potential of a reduction in PTSD symptoms facilitating a positive spiral in adolescence was reflected on within this paper. Key learning aims (1) To understand the experience of unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors (UAM) receiving narrative exposure therapy (NET) for post-traumatic stress disorder. (2) To understand the key concerns and motivators for UAM when considering engaging in NET. (3) To understand how these experiences relate to theoretical frameworks and the existing literature relating to emotional difficulties in adolescence.

scholarly journals Childhood adversities and post-traumatic stress disorder: evidence for stress sensitisation in the World Mental Health Surveys

2017 ◽  
Vol 211 (5) ◽  
pp. 280-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie A. McLaughlin ◽  
Karestan C. Koenen ◽  
Evelyn J. Bromet ◽  
Elie G. Karam ◽  
Howard Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Childhood Adversity ◽  
Traumatic Experience ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Childhood Adversities ◽  
The World ◽  
Post Traumatic

BackgroundAlthough childhood adversities are known to predict increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after traumatic experiences, it is unclear whether this association varies by childhood adversity or traumatic experience types or by age.AimsTo examine variation in associations of childhood adversities with PTSD according to childhood adversity types, traumatic experience types and life-course stage.MethodEpidemiological data were analysed from the World Mental Health Surveys (n = 27017).ResultsFour childhood adversities (physical and sexual abuse, neglect, parent psychopathology) were associated with similarly increased odds of PTSD following traumatic experiences (odds ratio (OR)=1.8), whereas the other eight childhood adversities assessed did not predict PTSD. Childhood adversity–PTSD associations did not vary across traumatic experience types, but were stronger in childhood-adolescence and early-middle adulthood than later adulthood.ConclusionsChildhood adversities are differentially associated with PTSD, with the strongest associations in childhood-adolescence and early-middle adulthood. Consistency of associations across traumatic experience types suggests that childhood adversities are associated with generalised vulnerability to PTSD following traumatic experiences.

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