Torture may be associated with long-lasting somatic symptoms, only partly explained by physical injuries. Physical pain as a result of torture may seriously complicate the diagnostics and treatment of posttraumatic pathology in refugees. The question whether a relation exists between the experience of torture and the extent of reported medically unexplained physical symptoms, is therefore highly relevant. We firstly hypothesized that refugees who underwent torture will report more somatic symptoms, as operationalized by experienced pain, than refugees without a history of torture.

Social support seems to enhance wellbeing and health in many populations. Conversely, poor social support and loneliness are a social determinant of poor health outcomes and can adversely affect physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Social support is especially important in traumatic grief. However, the ways in which grieving individuals interpret and define social support is not well understood, and little is known about what specific behaviours are perceived as helpful.

The field of bereavement research and care is at a tipping point. The introduction of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) has ignited clinical interest in this new disorder, along with debate over challenges in validating and implementing these new criteria. At

Background. Research exploring the longitudinal course of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms has documented four modal trajectories (low, remitting, high, and delayed), with proportions varying across studies. Heterogeneity could be due to differences in trauma types and patient demographic characteristics.