Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 19, Issue 1, 2017, Pages 98-107

Kidnapping and Mental Health in Iraqi Refugees: The Role of Resilience (Article)

Wright A.M. , Talia Y.R. , Aldhalimi A. , Broadbridge C.L. , Jamil H. , Lumley M.A. , Pole N. , Arnetz B.B.* , Arnetz J.E.
  • a Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States, Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States, Office of the Vice President for Research, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, United States
  • b Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
  • c Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States, Department of Psychology, University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI, United States
  • d Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States, Department of Psychology, Saint Xavier University, Chicago, IL, United States
  • e Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States, Department of Family Medicine, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, 788 Service Road, Room B106D Clinical Center, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
  • f Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
  • g Department of Psychology, Smith College, Northampton, MA, United States
  • h Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States, Department of Family Medicine, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, 788 Service Road, Room B106D Clinical Center, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
  • i Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States, Department of Family Medicine, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, 788 Service Road, Room B106D Clinical Center, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

Abstract

Although kidnapping is common in war-torn countries, there is little research examining its psychological effects. Iraqi refugees (N = 298) were assessed upon arrival to the U.S. and 1 year later. At arrival, refugees were asked about prior trauma exposure, including kidnapping. One year later refugees were assessed for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression disorder (MDD) using the SCID-I. Individual resilience and narratives of the kidnapping were also assessed. Twenty-six refugees (9 %) reported being kidnapped. Compared to those not kidnapped, those who were had a higher prevalence of PTSD, but not MDD, diagnoses. Analyses examining kidnapping victims revealed that higher resilience was associated with lower rates of PTSD. Narratives of the kidnapping were also discussed. This study suggests kidnapping is associated with PTSD, but not MDD. Additionally, kidnapping victims without PTSD reported higher individual resilience. Future studies should further elucidate risk and resilience mechanisms. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Resilience Depression posttraumatic stress disorder Refugees kidnapping

Index Keywords

refugee mental health human epidemiology Refugees middle aged sex difference Stress, Psychological mental stress Iraq ethnology United States Humans psychology male female Socioeconomic Factors socioeconomics Resilience, Psychological psychological resilience adult posttraumatic stress disorder age Sex Factors Age Factors Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Psychological Trauma psychotrauma Depressive Disorder, Major major depression crime
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84954502824&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-015-0340-8&partnerID=40&md5=e1475e889e894b1ce26e0d3bb746f33d
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-015-0340-8
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 9
Original Language: English