Traumatic experiences are fended off via dissociation and hence frequently defy communication at the verbal level. This state of affairs involves hazards at a legal level in connection with decisions on the right of residence for aliens. In this process, refugees may have to prove traumatization. If they have not been trained in dealing with traumatized individuals, officially designated experts, judges and the staff of the relevant authorities may be unable to identify the trauma due to unconscious transference processes. Drawing upon clinical examples, the author shows how a modified psychoanalytic interview technique can reveal relational constellations and transferences conditioned by trauma and can help refugees verbalize their experiences.

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Review refugee psychotrauma dissociative disorder psychoanalysis psychologic test verbalization human transference legal aspect posttraumatic stress disorder