Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
Volume 194, Issue 3, 2006, Pages 188-194

Traumatic experiences and psychological distress in an urban refugee population seeking treatment services (Article)

Keller A. , Lhewa D. , Rosenfeld B.* , Sachs E. , Aladjem A. , Cohen I. , Smith H. , Porterfield K.
  • a Program for Survivors of Torture, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, NY, United States, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, United States
  • b Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
  • c School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, United States, Department of Psychology, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, United States, Department of Psychology, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 10458, United States
  • d Program for Survivors of Torture, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, NY, United States
  • e Program for Survivors of Torture, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, NY, United States
  • f Program for Survivors of Torture, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, NY, United States
  • g Program for Survivors of Torture, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, NY, United States
  • h Program for Survivors of Torture, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, NY, United States

Abstract

While a growing literature has addressed the psychological consequences of torture and refugee trauma, most studies have focused on homogeneous samples drawn from a single region. Thus, relatively little research has attempted to identify demographic or experiential factors that might help explain different levels of distress in these individuals. We measured depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a convenience sample of refugees and survivors of torture seeking treatment in a torture treatment program (N = 325). We found 81.1% of patients had clinically significant anxiety, 84.5% had clinically significant depressive symptoms, and 45.7% had significant PTSD symptoms. Regression analyses revealed that anxiety and depressive symptom were significant higher among women (β = .08, p = 0.02 and β = .22, p = 0.0001 for anxiety and depression respectively) and those who reported death threats as part of their traumatic experiences (β = .10, p = 0.033 and β = .12, p = 0.036 respectively). Symptoms of PTSD were also predicted by death threats (β = .22, p = 0.03), but were also influenced by the experience of rape (β = .33, p < 0.001), family torture experiences (β = .23, p = 0.022), religion (β = 21, p = 0.03), and age (β = -.18, p = 0.004). The clinical implications of these results are discussed. Copyright © 2006 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Author Keywords

PTSD Psychological distress Refugee trauma Torture

Index Keywords

urban population urban area depression refugee regression analysis anxiety disorder sex ratio human Life Change Events Refugees middle aged Stress, Psychological controlled study Depressive Disorder Anxiety Disorders torture survivor religion statistical significance mental disease Humans Adolescent male female prediction Psychiatric Status Rating Scales Religion and Psychology Article major clinical study adult posttraumatic stress disorder age Sex Factors Age Factors Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Patient Acceptance of Health Care psychotrauma threat Torture Rape
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33645101937&doi=10.1097%2f01.nmd.0000202494.75723.83&partnerID=40&md5=a5f2d89aeaaa5fb5733e24f8a63c751b
DOI: 10.1097/01.nmd.0000202494.75723.83
ISSN: 00223018
Cited by: 73
Original Language: English