Cultural competence in the treatment of political refugees based on system approaches

This article analyses the integrative trauma focused systemic treatment, developed for refugee families with regard to current views on cultural competence. The contextualized and multifaceted conceptual framework and flexible settings that facilitate treatment of culturally diverse populations are described and illustrated with a case example. The potential pitfalls of cultural competence as a strategy in addressing cultural diversity are discussed.

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The impact of disaster work on community volunteers: The role of peri-traumatic distress, level of personal affectedness, sleep quality and resource loss, on post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and subjective health

Disaster work has shown to cause PTSD symptoms and subjective health complaints in professional emergency personnel. However, very little is known about how disaster work affects community volunteers.

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Comparing Screening Instruments to Predict Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Background
Following traumatic exposure, a proportion of trauma victims develops posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Early PTSD risk screening requires sensitive instruments to identify everyone at risk for developing PTSD in need of diagnostic follow-up.
Aims
This study compares the accuracy of the 4-item SPAN, 10-item Trauma Screening Questionnaire (TSQ) and 22-item Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) in predicting chronic PTSD at a minimum sensitivity of 80%.
Method

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The role of acute cortisol and DHEAS in predicting acute and chronic PTSD symptoms

Background

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Personality Dysfunction and Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Chronically Traumatized Bosnian Refugees

Abstract: A proposal for the inclusion of complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) in the upcoming ICD-11 has been put forward. Using self-report, we investigated the resemblance between disorders of extreme stress not otherwise specified (DESNOS) and both axis I and II syndromes among 116 treatmentseeking Bosnian refugees. In this sample, the prevalence of DESNOS over-

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World Health organization guidelines for management of acute stress, PTSD, and bereavement: key challenges on the road ahead

Wietse Tol and colleagues discuss some of the key challenges for implementation of new WHO guidelines for stress-related mental health disorders in low- and middle-income countries. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

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Mental, neurological, and substance use problems among refugees in primary health care: analysis of the Health Information System in 90 refugee camps

Background: Population-based epidemiological research has established that refugees in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) are at increased risk for a range of mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) problems. Improved knowledge of rates for MNS problems that are treated in refugee camp primary care settings is needed to identify service gaps and inform resource allocation.

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The obsessive compulsive spectrum in schizophrenia, a meta-analysis and meta-regression exploring prevalence rates

AIMS:
The aims of this study were to conduct a meta-analysis and meta-regression to estimate the prevalence rates for obsessive compulsive symptoms (OCS) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in schizophrenia, and to investigate what influences these prevalence rates.
METHOD:
Studies were identified via an online OVID database search, including PsychInfo, Embase and Medline until December 2009.
RESULTS:

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Rates of post-traumatic stress disorder in trauma-exposed children and adolescents: meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND:
It is unclear how many children and adolescents develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after trauma.
AIMS:
To determine the incidence of PTSD in trauma-exposed children and adolescents as assessed with well-established diagnostic interviews and to examine potential moderators of the estimate.
METHOD:

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The role of mental health and psychosocial support nongovernmental organisations: reflections from post conflict Nepal

Armed conflicts and other humanitarian crises impact mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. In contexts of overwhelming need and overstretched government health systems, nongovernmental organisations may play important roles. In this paper, we reflect on the role of Nepali nongovernmental organisations in providing mental health and psychosocial support services.

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