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Liddell BJ, Das P, Malhi GS, Felmingham KL, Askovic M, Nickerson A, Aroche J, Coello M, Outhred T, Bryant RA. Torture Exposure Modulates Cognitive Control and Attention Neural Network Connectivity During a Go/Nogo Task. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024:S2451-9022(24)00214-3. [PMID: 39127424 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Torture trauma is characterised by intentional uncontrollable acts, but the long-term effects of torture exposure on cognitive control brain mechanisms are unknown. METHODS A final sample of 33 torture survivors (TS) and 44 non-torture survivors (NTS), all with a refugee background, completed a Go/NoGo response inhibition task during fMRI scanning. Data-driven independent components analysis identified active networks across the task, and within Go, NoGo and error of commission trials. Groups were compared on within/between network connectivity, controlling for demographic and psychological symptom covariates. Secondary analyses investigated whether network connectivity moderated the associations between torture exposure and severity on fear (e.g. re-experiencing) and dysphoria (e.g. anhedonia) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. RESULTS The TS group exhibited decreased connectivity (compared to NTS controls) within the posterior default mode network (specifically the left precuneus) and auditory-motor network (specifically right superior temporal gyrus STG), and reduced connectivity between the dorsomedial frontal network (dmFN) and dorsal attention network (dAN) across the Go/NoGo task. The TS group also showed comparatively more negative ventral attention network connectivity during NoGo (i.e. inhibition) trials. No behavioral effects were observed. Secondary analyses revealed that association between torture exposure and elevated PTSD dysphoria (not fear) symptoms was moderated by reduced connectivity in the right STG and between the dmFN-dAN. CONCLUSIONS Response inhibition, attention and motor networks appear less connected in torture survivors, which may be specifically linked to PTSD dysphoria symptom profiles. Findings suggest that targeting cognitive control processes may hold promise for alleviating post-traumatic symptoms amongst survivors of torture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belinda J Liddell
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Australia; School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Australia.
| | - Pritha Das
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Australia; Academic Department of Psychiatry and CADE Clinic, Royal North Shore Hospital, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, NSW 2065 Australia; University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Northern Clinical School, Department of Psychiatry, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Gin S Malhi
- Academic Department of Psychiatry and CADE Clinic, Royal North Shore Hospital, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, NSW 2065 Australia; University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Northern Clinical School, Department of Psychiatry, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kim L Felmingham
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mirjana Askovic
- NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS), Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Jorge Aroche
- NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS), Sydney, Australia
| | - Mariano Coello
- NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS), Sydney, Australia
| | - Tim Outhred
- Academic Department of Psychiatry and CADE Clinic, Royal North Shore Hospital, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, NSW 2065 Australia; University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Northern Clinical School, Department of Psychiatry, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Nass BYS, Dibbets P, Markus CR. The Impact of Psychotrauma and Emotional Stress Vulnerability on Physical and Mental Functioning of Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6976. [PMID: 37947534 PMCID: PMC10648781 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20216976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic health condition thought to be influenced by personal life experiences and emotional stress sensitivity (neuroticism). In the present study, we examined the impact of cumulative trauma experiences and trait neuroticism (as a measure for emotional stress vulnerability) on physical and mental functioning of n = 211 patients diagnosed with IBD (112 Crohn's disease, 99 ulcerative colitis). All patients were assessed for self-reported trauma histories, emotional stress vulnerability, clinical disease activity, functional gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, and quality of life. Results showed that patients with severe IBD activity have endured significantly more interpersonal trauma and victimization than those with quiescent IBD. Moreover, cumulative trauma was found to exert an indirect (neuroticism-mediated) effect on patients' symptom complexity, with trauma and neuroticism conjointly explaining 16-21% of the variance in gastrointestinal and 35% of the variance in mental symptoms. Upon correction for condition (using a small group of available controls, n = 51), the predictive capacity of trauma and neuroticism increased further, with both predictors now explaining 31% of the somatic-and almost 50% of the mental symptom heterogeneity. In terms of trauma type, victimization (domestic violence and intimate abuse) proved the best predictor of cross-sample symptom variability and the only trauma profile with a consistent direct and indirect (neuroticism-mediated) effect on patients' mental (QoL) and physical fitness. Results are consistent with the growing body of evidence linking experiential vulnerability factors (trauma and neuroticism) and associated feelings of personal ineffectiveness, helplessness, and uncontrollability to interindividual differences in (GI) disease activity and quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boukje Yentl Sundari Nass
- Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Dr. Rath Health Foundation, 6422 RG Heerlen, The Netherlands
| | - Pauline Dibbets
- Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - C. Rob Markus
- Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Gondek D, Bernardi L. Mental Health and Wellbeing of Population with Migrant Background in Switzerland - a Scoping Review and Evidence Map of Quantitative Evidence. J Immigr Minor Health 2023; 25:1108-1117. [PMID: 37237054 PMCID: PMC10509096 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-023-01490-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
We aimed to map the evidence, based on population-based and migrant-specific datasets in Switzerland, on mental health and wellbeing of the population with migrant background. The research questions were: What is known from the existing quantitative evidence about the mental health of the population with migrant background living in Switzerland? What are the research gaps that can be addressed with existing secondary datasets in Switzerland? We used the scoping review approach to describe existing research. We searched Ovid MEDLINE and APA PsycInfo (2015 - September 2022). This resulted in a total of 1862 potentially relevant studies. In addition, we manually searched other sources, such as Google Scholar. We used a evidence map to visually summarise research characteristics and identify research gaps. In total, 46 studies were included in this review. Most studies used cross-sectional design (78.3%, n = 36) and theirs aims were descriptive (84.8%, n = 39). The studies tend to examine mental health or wellbeing of the population with migrant background in the context of social determinants (69.6%, n = 32). The most frequently studied social determinants were at the individual level (96.9%, n = 31). Out of 46 included studies, 32.6% (n = 15) included depression or anxiety, and 21.7% (n = 10) post-traumatic stress disorder and other traumas. Other outcomes were less commonly investigated. There was a lack of studies using longitudinal data investigating mental health of migrants that go beyond descriptive aims (i.e., explanatory and predictive), and have large nationally representative samples. Moreover, there is a need for research examining social determinants of mental health and wellbeing at the structural, family and community levels. We propose that existing nationally representative population-based surveys are used to a greater extent to study various aspects of migrants' mental health and wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawid Gondek
- Swiss Centre of Expertise in Life Course Research (LIVES), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Laura Bernardi
- Swiss Centre of Expertise in Life Course Research (LIVES), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Nickerson A, Byrow Y, Hoffman J, O'Donnell M, Bryant RA, Mastrogiovanni N, McMahon T, Benson G, Mau V, Liddell BJ. The longitudinal association between moral injury appraisals and psychological outcomes in refugees. Psychol Med 2022; 52:2352-2364. [PMID: 33261693 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291720004262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Refugees report a diverse array of psychological responses following persecution and displacement. Little is known, however, regarding the mechanisms that underlie differential psychological reactions in refugees. This study investigated the longitudinal impact of negative moral appraisals about one's own actions [i.e. moral injury-self (MI-self) appraisals] and others' actions [i.e. moral injury-other (MI-others) appraisals] on a variety of psychological symptoms over a period of 6 months. METHODS Participants were 1085 Arabic, Farsi, Tamil, or English-speaking refugees who completed a survey at baseline and 6 months later either on-line or via pen-and-paper. The survey indexed demographic factors, exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs), exposure to ongoing stressors, MI-other appraisals, MI-self appraisals, re-experiencing and arousal symptoms, and feelings of sadness, anger and shame. RESULTS Findings indicated that, after controlling for demographics, PTE exposure and ongoing stressors, MI-other appraisals predicted increased re-experiencing and hyperarousal symptoms, and feelings of sadness and shame. MI-self appraisals predicted decreased feelings of shame, and decreased re-experiencing symptoms. In contrast, psychological symptoms at baseline did not as strongly influence MI appraisals 6 months later. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the important role that cognitive appraisals of adverse events play in the longitudinal course of psychological symptoms. These results thus have important implications for the development of tailored psychological interventions to alleviate the mental health burden held by refugees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Nickerson
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Yulisha Byrow
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Joel Hoffman
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Meaghan O'Donnell
- Phoenix Australia, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Richard A Bryant
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | | | - Tadgh McMahon
- Settlement Services International, Ashfield, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Greg Benson
- Settlement Services International, Ashfield, NSW, Australia
| | - Vicki Mau
- Australian Red Cross, North Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Belinda J Liddell
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia
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Impact of displacement context on psychological distress in refugees resettled in Australia: a longitudinal population-based study. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci 2022; 31:e51. [PMID: 35818768 PMCID: PMC9281487 DOI: 10.1017/s2045796022000324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Refugees typically spend years in a state of protracted displacement prior to permanent resettlement. Little is known about how various prior displacement contexts influence long-term mental health in resettled refugees. In this study, we aimed to determine whether having lived in refugee camps v. community settings prior to resettlement impacted the course of refugees' psychological distress over the 4 years following arrival in Australia. METHODS Participants were 1887 refugees who had taken part in the Building a New Life in Australia study, which comprised of five annual face-to-face or telephone surveys from the year of first arrival in Australia. RESULTS Latent growth curve modelling revealed that refugees who had lived in camps showed greater initial psychological distress (as indexed by the K6) and faster decreases in psychological distress in the 4 years after resettling in Australia, compared to those who had lived in community settings. Investigation of refugee camp characteristics revealed that poorer access to services in camps was associated with greater initial distress after resettlement, and greater ability to meet one's basic needs in camps was associated with faster decreases in psychological distress over time. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the importance of the displacement context in influencing the course of post-resettlement mental health. Increasing available services and meeting basic needs in the displacement environment may promote better mental health outcomes in resettled refugees.
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Javanbakht A, Grasser LR, Kim S, Arfken CL, Nugent N. Perceived health, adversity, and posttraumatic stress disorder in Syrian and Iraqi refugees. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2022; 68:118-128. [PMID: 33269642 PMCID: PMC9678010 DOI: 10.1177/0020764020978274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to armed conflict and fleeing country of origin for refugees has been associated with poorer psychological health. METHODS Within the first month following their arrival in the United States, 152 Syrian and Iraqi refugees were screened in a primary care setting for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression and rated their perceived health, and perceived level of adversity of violence, armed conflict/flight. The moderating effects of psychiatric symptoms on the relation between perceived adversity and perceived health were assessed. RESULTS Three models based on diagnosis (PTSD, anxiety, and depression) were tested. While significant effects were found on perceived adversity negatively influencing perceived health across diagnoses, slightly different patterns emerged based on diagnosis. DISCUSSION Findings suggest that refugees' perception regarding adversity of violence, armed conflict, and flight may contribute to perceived health, with a moderating role of clinically significant symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arash Javanbakht
- Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Lana Ruvolo Grasser
- Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Soyeong Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Cynthia L Arfken
- Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Nicole Nugent
- Department of Psychiatry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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Trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Mental Health Care of Asylum Seekers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182010661. [PMID: 34682407 PMCID: PMC8536130 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182010661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Asylum seekers in Israel from East Africa frequently experienced traumatic events along their journey, particularly in the Sinai Peninsula, where they were subjected to trafficking and torture. Exposure to trauma has implications for rights that are contingent on refugee status. This retrospective chart review aimed to characterize the types of traumas experienced by 219 asylum seekers (149 men) from Eritrea and Sudan who sought treatment at a specialized mental health clinic in Israel, and to compare the mental health of trauma victims (n = 168) with that of non-trauma victims (n = 53). About 76.7% of the asylum seekers had experienced at least one traumatic event, of whom 56.5% were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most reported traumas were experienced en route in the Sinai, rather than in the country of origin or Israel. Few clinical differences were observed between trauma victims and non-trauma victims, or between trauma victims with and without a PTSD diagnosis. Our findings emphasize the importance of accessibility to mental and other health services for asylum seekers. Governmental policies and international conventions on the definition of human trafficking may need to be revised, as well as asylum seekers’ rights and access to health services related to visa status.
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Spaaij J, Schick M, Bryant RA, Schnyder U, Znoj H, Nickerson A, Morina N. An exploratory study of embitterment in traumatized refugees. BMC Psychol 2021; 9:96. [PMID: 34112232 PMCID: PMC8193876 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-021-00599-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Refugees and asylum seekers are frequently exposed to violence, human rights violations and unstable living conditions before, during, and after their displacement. Elevated prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders in forcibly displaced persons are well documented. However, less is known about other problems related to common refugee experiences, such as embitterment, moral injury, and diminished self-efficacy, and how they are related to trauma exposure and post-migration living difficulties. METHODS A cross-sectional sample of 71 refugees and asylum seekers in treatment were examined regarding exposure to potentially traumatic events, post-migration living difficulties, moral injury appraisals, self-efficacy, and embitterment. RESULTS Elevated levels of embitterment were reported by 68% of participants. The regression analysis revealed that greater moral injury appraisals and low levels of self-efficacy were significantly associated with higher levels of embitterment. CONCLUSION The results provide first insights into embitterment and associated factors in refugee populations. Furthermore, they highlight the significance of moral transgressions and low levels of self-efficacy emerging from displacement and traumatic experiences for the development of mental health problems in a clinical sample of refugees. The findings have implications for future research, policy development and clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Spaaij
- Department of Consultation-Liaison-Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich (USZ), University of Zurich (UZH), Culmannstrasse 8, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Matthis Schick
- Department of Consultation-Liaison-Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich (USZ), University of Zurich (UZH), Culmannstrasse 8, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Hansjörg Znoj
- Department of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Naser Morina
- Department of Consultation-Liaison-Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich (USZ), University of Zurich (UZH), Culmannstrasse 8, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
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Yuval K, Aizik-Reebs A, Lurie I, Demoz D, Bernstein A. A Functional Network Perspective on Posttraumatic Stress in Refugees: Implications for Theory, Classification, Assessment, and Intervention. Transcult Psychiatry 2021; 58:268-282. [PMID: 33292082 DOI: 10.1177/1363461520965436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
There is an important, long-standing debate regarding the universality vs. specificity of trauma-related mental health symptoms in socio-culturally and linguistically diverse population groups, such as refugees and asylum seekers. Network theory, an emerging development in the field of psychological science, provides a novel data analytic methodology to evaluate and empirically examine long-standing questions about the structure and function of posttraumatic stress symptoms. We sought to empirically model the functional network of posttraumatic stress symptoms among East African refugees who survived multiple potentially traumatic events. A sample of 148 Sudanese and Eritrean male asylum seekers (M(SD)age = 32.60(7.13) were recruited from the community in Israel. The nature and function(s) of posttraumatic symptoms (Harvard Trauma Questionnaire) were modeled using regularized partial correlation models to derive a network of symptoms. Spinglass and exploratory graph analysis walktrap algorithms were then used to identify functional "circuits of symptoms" or clusters of nodes within the network. Analyses revealed a functional symptom circuitry that shares features with the predominant western model of posttraumatic stress disorder; as well as unique functional clusters of symptoms inconsistent with nosology and symptomatology observed in studies of Western populations. Findings may have important implications for theory, classification, assessment, candidate mechanisms that may drive and maintain posttraumatic stress, and in turn may inform prevention or treatment for socio-culturally diverse forcibly displaced population groups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ido Lurie
- Shalvata Mental Health Center, Hod HaSharon, Israel and Department of Psychiatry, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University
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Kashyap S, Keegan D, Liddell BJ, Thomson T, Nickerson A. An Interaction Model of Environmental and Psychological Factors Influencing Refugee Mental Health. J Trauma Stress 2021; 34:257-266. [PMID: 33314393 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we draw on empirical research and theoretical models of refugee and posttrauma mental health to propose the "Psychological Interaction with Environment (PIE) Matrix Model" of refugee mental health. This model focuses on the mental health of adult refugees and proposes that psychological factors and the external environment interact to influence mental health outcomes and functioning for individuals with refugee backgrounds. Environmental factors include adversity faced before, during, and after the migration journey, including adversity faced in a resettlement or postdisplacement environment. Psychological factors refer to psychological (i.e., cognitive and emotional) mechanisms that individuals may use to cope with adversity. We posit that individuals from refugee backgrounds are likely to show individual differences in psychological processes that may protect against or underpin the development and maintenance of psychopathology following exposure to trauma and displacement. The PIE Matrix Model proposes a framework to guide intervention by identifying key pathways by which psychological and environmental factors impact one another. We suggest that psychological interventions can be targeted according to the kind and level of support different individuals may require, based on individualized and context-driven assessments of the interaction between environmental and psychological factors at any given point in time. This model draws on existing models of refugee adaptation and highlights the need for longitudinal and experimental research to explain the interaction between these factors and their causal impact on refugee mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shraddha Kashyap
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Belinda J Liddell
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Angela Nickerson
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Hou WK, Liu H, Liang L, Ho J, Kim H, Seong E, Bonanno GA, Hobfoll SE, Hall BJ. Everyday life experiences and mental health among conflict-affected forced migrants: A meta-analysis. J Affect Disord 2020; 264:50-68. [PMID: 31846902 PMCID: PMC7064367 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.11.165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are a growing number of forced migrants worldwide. Early detection of poor adjustment and interventions to facilitate positive adaptation within these communities is a critical global public health priority. A growing literature points to challenges within the post-migration context as key determents of poor mental health. AIMS The current meta-analysis evaluated the association between daily stressors and poor mental health among these populations. METHOD A systematic search in PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science identified relevant studies from inception until the end of 2018. Effect sizes (correlation coefficients) were pooled using Fisher's Z transformation and reported with 95% confidence intervals. Moderator and mediator analyses were conducted. The protocol is available in PROSPERO [CRD42018081207]. RESULTS Analysis of 59 eligible studies (n = 17,763) revealed that daily stressors were associated with higher psychiatric symptoms (Zr=0.126-0.199, 95% CI=0.084-0.168, 0.151-0.247, p<0.001) and general distress (Zr=0.542, 95% CI=0.332-0.752, p<0.001). Stronger effect sizes were observed for mixed daily stressors relative to subjective, interpersonal, and material daily stressors, and for general distress relative to posttraumatic stress symptoms and general well-being. Effect sizes were also stronger for children and adolescents relative to adults. Daily stressors fully mediated the associations of prior trauma with post-migration anxiety, depressive, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis provides a synthesis of existing research on the role of unfavorable everyday life experiences and their associations with poor mental health among conflict-affected forced migrants. Routine assessment and intervention to reduce daily stressors can prevent and reduce psychiatric morbidity in these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai Kai Hou
- Laboratory of Psychology and Ecology of Stress (LoPES), Department of Psychology, Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, NT, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Huinan Liu
- Laboratory of Psychology and Ecology of Stress (LoPES), Department of Psychology, Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Li Liang
- Laboratory of Psychology and Ecology of Stress (LoPES), Department of Psychology, Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jeffery Ho
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hyojin Kim
- Teachers College, Columbia University, New York NY, USA
| | - Eunice Seong
- Teachers College, Columbia University, New York NY, USA
| | | | | | - Brian J. Hall
- Department of Psychology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
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Identifying the critical time points for mental health of asylum seekers and refugees in high-income countries. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci 2019; 29:e61. [PMID: 31576800 PMCID: PMC8061286 DOI: 10.1017/s204579601900057x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS High heterogeneity was found in the prevalence rates of mental disorders in adult asylum seekers and refugees in high-income countries. This may be related to different problems. Among them, there is a changing exposure to risk and protective factors for mental health at different phases of these people's life before migration, and during the migratory journey and resettlement. This study aimed at identifying and distinguishing time points in which distinct risk and protective factors for the mental health of asylum seekers and refugees may occur. METHODS Systematic review and narrative synthesis. A systematic search was carried out for the period January 2017-August 2019, given the existence of systematic reviews of the evidence up to January 2017. RESULTS Two hundred and fifty-two studies were identified with our search and 31 studies were included. The critical time points identified are: (a) before the travel; (b) during the travel; (c) at initial settlement in the host country; (d) when attempting to integrate in the host country; (e) when the immigration status is challenged or revoked. Some factors such as sense of belonging in the host country can be risk factors or protective factors depending on the time point. CONCLUSIONS These five critical time points can guide the development and selection of well-timed preventive and treatment interventions. They could also be used to stratify samples in epidemiological studies and meta-analyses. At present, we know much more on risk factors than on protective factors. Knowing more about protective factors may inform the development of interventions to foster them.
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Mental Health of Refugees and Torture Survivors: A Critical Review of Prevalence, Predictors, and Integrated Care. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16132309. [PMID: 31261840 PMCID: PMC6651013 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16132309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Civilian war trauma and torture rank among the most traumatic life experiences; exposure to such experiences is pervasive in nations experiencing both internal and external conflict. This has led to a high volume of refugees resettling throughout the world with mental health needs that primary care physicians may not be screening for and prepared to effectively address. In this article, we review the literature on demographics, predictors, mental health outcomes of torture, and integrated care for the mental health needs of refugees. We searched PubMed and PSYCINFO databases for original research articles on refugees and mental health published in the English language between 2010 and present. Nine percent of 720 adults in conflict areas in Nepal, with predominance of literate married males, met the threshold for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), 27.5% for depression, and 22.9% for anxiety. While, PTSD rate has been documented as high as 88.3% among torture survivors from Middle East (ME), Central Africa (CA), South Asia (SA), Southeast Europe (SE). Depression was recorded as high as 94.7% among 131 African torture survivors and anxiety as high as 91% among 55 South African torture survivors. Torture severity, post-migration difficulties, and wait time to receive clinical services were significantly associated with higher rate of mental health symptoms. Mental health screening is not a standard component of initial physical exams for refugees, yet these individuals have had high trauma exposure that should inform clinical care. Integrated care models are lacking but would greatly benefit this community to prevent progression to greater severity of mental health symptoms.
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Giammusso I, Casadei F, Catania N, Foddai E, Monti MC, Savoja G, Tosto C. Immigrants Psychopathology: Emerging Phenomena and Adaptation of Mental Health Care Setting by Native Language. Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health 2018; 14:312-322. [PMID: 30972131 PMCID: PMC6407656 DOI: 10.2174/1745017901814010312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Mental health of immigrants is an important social and clinical issue. Immigrants may report higher rates of mental disorders and lower levels of use of mental health service with respect to natives. The aim of the present work is to review recent findings of the psychopathology of immigrants and analyze how to adapt the mental care settings through the use of mother tongues. We searched the literature to individuate and review the most recent scientific articles focused on the psychopathology of immigrants realized in Europe. Moreover, we summarized the guidelines about immigrants mental health care and we focused on the barriers caused by language. We individuated 15 papers reporting data about mental disorders among immigrants and the related risk and protective factors. The articles reported information about psychosis, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, somatization and suicide rates. Risk and protective factors are individuated mainly among social factors (e.g. ethnic density effect, hosting countries' policies). Furthermore, immigrants encounter language barriers in the use of mental care services. The realization of cross-cultural training and the development of a working alliance between clinicians and interpreters resulted to be effective solutions even if these interventions are not frequently implemented. The extent of migratory flows and the related difficulties experienced by immigrants require attention and well-informed interventions. The high rates of incidence of mental disorder and the strict number of services who implement interventions taking into accounts fundamental aspect as language show that there is still a lot to do.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Giammusso
- Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.,Associazione PLP, Psicologi Liberi Professionisti, Via Pasteur, 65, 00144, Rome, Italy
| | - Filippo Casadei
- Associazione PLP, Psicologi Liberi Professionisti, Via Pasteur, 65, 00144, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicolay Catania
- Associazione PLP, Psicologi Liberi Professionisti, Via Pasteur, 65, 00144, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Foddai
- Associazione PLP, Psicologi Liberi Professionisti, Via Pasteur, 65, 00144, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Monti
- Associazione PLP, Psicologi Liberi Professionisti, Via Pasteur, 65, 00144, Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgia Savoja
- Associazione PLP, Psicologi Liberi Professionisti, Via Pasteur, 65, 00144, Rome, Italy
| | - Crispino Tosto
- Istituto per le Tecnologie Didattiche, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Palermo, Italy
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