Rivista di Psichiatria
Volume 38, Issue 2, 2003, Pages 71-77

Kidnap for ransom as a traumatic experience: Clinical interviews in a group of victims and literature review [Il sequestro di persona come evento traumatico: Interviste cliniche ad un gruppo di vittime e revisione della letteratura] (Article)

Degortes D.* , Colombo G. , Santonastaso P. , Favaro A.
  • a Clinica Psichiatrica, Dipto. di Sci. Neurol./Psichiatriche, Universita di Padova, Padova, Italy
  • b Clinica Psichiatrica, Dipto. di Sci. Neurol./Psichiatriche, Universita di Padova, Padova, Italy
  • c Clinica Psichiatrica, Dipto. di Sci. Neurol./Psichiatriche, Universita di Padova, Padova, Italy
  • d Clinica Psichiatrica, Dipto. di Sci. Neurol./Psichiatriche, Universita di Padova, Padova, Italy

Abstract

Aims. The aim of the present study is to assess the emotional responses of a group of victims to the traumatic experience of their kidnap for ransom. Metods. The subjects of the study were 24 kidnap victims (19 men and 5 women) recruited in Sardinia. Mean age was 49 years (range 27-80). All the subjects underwent a semistructured clinical interview to assess the severity of the traumatic exposure and the emotional reactions during and in the aftermath of the event. Results. Kidnap for ransom is a very severe traumatic experience which often leads to the development of longterm symptoms and defensive emotional reactions. The witnessing of the subjects allowed us to describe the emotional reactions to the different stages of the kidnap, the relationship victims/captors, the Stockholm syndrome and the reactions after liberation. Discussion. Emotional reactions to the different stages of the kidnap were similar to those reported by the few available literature. Although every kidnapping should be considered an unique experience, the present study found some typical and common emotional responses.

Author Keywords

Stockholm syndrome Kidnap for ransom trauma

Index Keywords

literature clinical feature human Aged interview male female defensive behavior clinical article victim Article emotion adult human experiment Italy psychotrauma kidnapping crime exposure
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0038248930&partnerID=40&md5=cfb8986e12fc82a5eb32e9b32a70c6e2
ISSN: 00356484
Cited by: 1
Original Language: Italian