Deconstructing PTSD: Trauma and emotion among Mexican immigrant women

Application of the Toxic Stress Schema: An Exemplar for School Nurses

For many children of color, the cumulative impact of pre-existing stressors, disparities, and pandemic-related losses has contributed to a toxic level of stress. Toxic stress can disrupt healthy brain development making children vulnerable to physical and mental health problems. School nurses are the primary health professionals who interact with children daily during the academic year, which positions them to identify risk factors within the social determinants of health that contribute to the development of toxic stress. The Toxic Stress Schema (TSS) provides a framework for assessment and care planning related to social determinants of health and potential sources of stress and/or buffering support for the physical and mental well-being of children. A case study approach is used to demonstrate the application of the TSS to school nursing and provide the basis for conceptualizing a plan of care and identifying resources to support the child's physical and mental health.

Understanding the Relationship Between Social Stressors, Trauma, and Somatic Symptoms Among Latina Immigrant Women

BACKGROUND

Latina immigrant women are at increased risk for poor mental health. Little is known about factors associated with somatic symptoms, the physical manifestation of distress, in this population. This study examined associations between social stressors, trauma, and somatic symptoms.

METHODS

This study used survey data from a community-based sample of Latina immigrant women (n = 154). We determined the frequency of somatic symptoms and used linear regressions to estimate associations of stressors and trauma with physical symptoms.

RESULTS

Most participants reported mild or moderate levels of somatic symptom severity. In univariate models, all social stressors and trauma types were significantly associated with higher levels of somatic symptoms. A multivariate model suggested perceived stress was associated with increased somatic symptoms after accounting for other stressors and trauma.

DISCUSSION

Future research should examine whether stress and trauma lead to higher levels of somatic symptoms among Latina immigrants.

Symptoms Description of Family Post Traumatic Stress Disorder of the Mount Merapi Eruption Disaster Victims during Covid19

BACKGROUND: Volcano disaster can cause psychological problems such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is an anxiety disorder caused by a scary or frightening, unpleasant and challenging event or experience with physical abuse or threatened feeling. AIM: The purpose of this study was to describe the symptoms of PTSD experienced by families after the volcanic eruption disaster in Magelang Regency. METHODOLOGY: This research was conducted with a descriptive-analytic strategy. The research population was community aged 15–64 years, with a total of 574 people, and 86 respondents were selected as samples using a quota sampling technique. RESULTS: The results show that the majority of respondents experience symptoms of PTSD in the mild category as many as 60 respondents with a percentage of 68.9%. However, there are two respondents included in the severe category. The results of this study are expected to be the basis for the community and other institutions to pay attention to the symptoms of PTSD. CONCLUSION: Respondents who are categorized as experiencing weight PTSD symptoms are expected to conduct further examinations at health services immediately; therefore, PTSD can be handled.

"Thinking Too Much": A Systematic Review of the Idiom of Distress in Sub-Saharan Africa

Idioms of distress have been employed in psychological anthropology and global mental health to solicit localized understandings of suffering. The idiom "thinking too much" is employed in cultural settings worldwide to express feelings of emotional and cognitive disquiet with psychological, physical, and social consequences on people's well-being and daily functioning. This systematic review investigates how, where, and among whom the idiom "thinking too much" within varied Sub-Saharan African contexts was investigated. We reviewed eight databases and identified 60 articles, chapters, and books discussing "thinking too much" across Sub-Saharan Africa. Across 18 Sub-Saharan African countries, literature on "thinking too much" focused on particular sub-populations, including clinical populations, including people living with HIV or non-communicable diseases, and women experiencing perinatal or postnatal depression; health workers and caregivers; and non-clinical populations, including refugees and conflict-affected communities, as well as community samples with and without depression. "Thinking too much" reflected a broad range of personal, familial, and professional concerns that lead someone to be consumed with "too many thoughts." This research demonstrates that "thinking too much" is a useful idiom for understanding rumination and psychiatric distress while providing unique insights within cultural contexts that should not be overlooked when applied in clinical settings.