Bonding after trauma: on the role of social support and the oxytocin system in traumatic stress

This paper outlines the state of affairs in psychobiological research on psychotrauma and PTSD with a focus on the role of the oxytocin system in traumatic stress. With a high prevalence of trauma and PTSD in the Netherlands, new preventive and therapeutic interventions are needed.

Read more

Psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and burnout among international humanitarian aid workers: a longitudinal study

Background
International humanitarian aid workers providing care in emergencies are subjected to numerous chronic and traumatic stressors.

Objectives
To examine consequences of such experiences on aid workers' mental health and how the impact is influenced by moderating variables.

Read more

Pre-deployment mental health and trauma exposure of expatriate humanitarian aid workers: risk and resilience factors

Abstract
Expatriate aid workers (n = 214) representing 19 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) completed a predeployment
survey, including measures of mental health (depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD]); risk factors
(childhood trauma, family risk, and adult trauma exposure); and resilience factors (coping, social support, and healthy lifestyle)
to assess their baseline mental health during preparation for deployment. Multiple regression analysis indicated that childhood

Read more

Mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings : linking practice and research

This review links practice, funding, and evidence for interventions for mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in humanitarian settings.

 

Read more

I hear you, you hear me. Sociotherapy in Rwanda

Ten significant change stories gathered from after care participants by sociotherapists of the Anglican Church of Rwanda and Faith Victory Association Nyamata.

Read more

Consultancy Report DR Congo, Katanga - Shamwana

Read more

Arq International Program (AIP) : Premises and Pursuits

Read more

Social capital and health : implications for health promotion

AbstractThis article is a review of the PhD Thesis of Malin Eriksson, entitled 'Social capital, health and community action - implications for health promotion.' The article presents a theoretical overview of social capital and its relation to health, reviews empirical findings of the links between social capital and (self-rated) health, and discusses the usefulness of social capital in health promotion interventions at individual and community levels.

Read more

Social capital and post-disaster mental health

AbstractBackground: Despite national and international policies to develop social capital in disaster-affected communities, empiric evidence on the association between social capital and disaster mental health is limited and ambiguous.Objective: The study explores the relationship between social capital and disaster mental health outcomes (PTSD, anxiety, and depression) in combination with individual factors (appraisal, coping behavior, and social support).Design: This is a community-based cross-sectional study in a flood-affected town in northern England.

Read more

Exposure to violence and PTSD symptoms among Somali women

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, exposure to traumatic stressors, and health care utilization were examined in 84 women attending a primary health care clinic in Mogadishu, Somalia. The Somalia-Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale was used in this active warzone to measure symptoms. Nearly all women reported high levels of confrontations with violence, half described being exposed to a potentially traumatizing event. Nearly one third had significant PTSD symptoms.

Read more

Pages