American Journal of Psychiatry
Volume 147, Issue 1, 1990, Pages 83-88

Assessing symptom change in southeast Asian refugee survivors of mass violence and torture (Article)

Mollica f. R. , Wyshak G. , Lavelle J. , Truong T. , Tor S. , Yang T.
  • a Indochinese Psychiatry Clin., St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Marine Public Health Center, 77 Warren St., Brighton, MA 02135, United States
  • b Indochinese Psychiatry Clin., St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Marine Public Health Center, 77 Warren St., Brighton, MA 02135, United States
  • c Indochinese Psychiatry Clin., St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Marine Public Health Center, 77 Warren St., Brighton, MA 02135, United States
  • d Indochinese Psychiatry Clin., St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Marine Public Health Center, 77 Warren St., Brighton, MA 02135, United States
  • e Indochinese Psychiatry Clin., St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Marine Public Health Center, 77 Warren St., Brighton, MA 02135, United States
  • f Indochinese Psychiatry Clin., St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Marine Public Health Center, 77 Warren St., Brighton, MA 02135, United States

Abstract

The authors evaluated changes in symptoms and levels of perceived distress of 21 Cambodian, 13 Hmong/Laotian, and 18 Vietnamese patients before and after a 6-month treatment period. Most of the patients improved significantly. Cambodians had the greatest and Hmong/Laotians ahd the least reductions in depressive symptoms. Although psychological symptoms improved, many somatic symptoms worsened. The authors conclude that refugee survivors of multiple traumata and torture can be aided by psychiatric care. They recommended investigations with larger samples and suitable control groups to further clarify the relative contributions of trauma, diagnosis, and acculturation stress to treatment outcome.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

violence priority journal depression refugee psychotrauma psychological aspect Article human Torture
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0025055141&doi=10.1176%2fajp.147.1.83&partnerID=40&md5=2e0218d7004873540ffac09ae7146427
DOI: 10.1176/ajp.147.1.83
ISSN: 0002953X
Cited by: 85
Original Language: English