European Journal of Psychotraumatology
Volume 7, 2016

Emotional expressiveness and avoidance in narratives of unaccompanied refugee minors (Article) (Open Access)

Huemer J.* , Nelson K. , Karnik N. , Volkl-Kernstock S. , Seidel S. , Ebner N. , Ryst E. , Friedrich M. , Shaw R.J. , Realubit C. , Steiner H. , Skala K.
  • a Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • b Social Sciences Division, The New School for Public Engagement, New York, United States
  • c Department of Psychiatry, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States, Department of Community, Systems and Mental Health Nursing, College of Nursing Rush University, Chicago, IL, United States
  • d Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • e Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • f Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • g Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities, College of Education, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, United States
  • h Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • i Division of Child Psychiatry and Human Development, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
  • j Abbey Neuropsychology Clinic, Palo Alto, CA, United States
  • k Division of Child Psychiatry and Human Development, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
  • l Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine a cohort of unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) by means of psycholinguistic methods in order to obtain a more subtle picture of their degree of traumatization. Methods: Twenty-eight participants were included in the Stress-Inducing Speech Task (SIST) consisting of a free association (FA) and a stress (STR) condition. Narratives were examined by means of (1) quantitative parameters (word count); (2) psycholinguistic variables (temporal junctures, TJs), narrative structure, referential activity (RA)*a measure of emotional expressivity; and (3) content analysis ratings. Results: Word count was significantly lower than in age-matched norms. In the FA condition, TJs were lower, but in the STR condition, rates were comparable. RA was significantly higher in both conditions. Content analysis ratings showed that the experiences described by these youths were potentially traumatic in nature. Conclusions: This pattern of narrative shows a mixture of fulfilling the task demand, while containing an emotionally charged narrative. Narrative structure was absent in the FA condition, but preserved in the STR condition, as URMs struggled with the description of non-normative events. This indicates that these youths have not yet emotionally dealt with and fully integrated their trauma experiences. © 2016 Julia Huemer et al.

Author Keywords

Psycholinguistics unaccompanied refugee minors narration trauma

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84977161231&doi=10.3402%2fejpt.v7.29163&partnerID=40&md5=500a8396079d3f386277629bc96f2abf
DOI: 10.3402/ejpt.v7.29163
ISSN: 20008066
Cited by: 2
Original Language: English