The limits of resilience: distress following chronic political violence among Palestinians

We examined posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptom trajectories during ongoing exposure to political violence, seeking to identify psychologically resilient individuals and the factors that predict resilience. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a random sample of 1196 Palestinian adult residents of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem across three occasions, six months apart (September 2007-November 2008). Latent growth mixture modeling identified PTSD, and depression symptom trajectories.

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The efficacy of psychotherapy in reducing post-psychotic trauma

There is now growing evidence to suggest that the experience of psychosis may be so traumatic for some that it can lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)-type symptoms or post-psychotic trauma symptoms (PPTS). There is, however, less knowledge about what psychological interventions may be helpful in reducing these symptoms. Evidence from the literature, to date, suggests that of the seven studies that have addressed this issue only four were randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

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The destiny of an unacknowledged trauma: the deferred retroactive effect of après-coup in the hidden jewish children of wartime Belgium

For almost 45 years, the experience of Jewish children who were hidden during World War II was considered to be of little importance, particularly with respect to what had taken place in the concentration camps. Their very history was ignored in the many accounts of the Holocaust. It was only at the end of the 1980s that their experience began to be thought of as potentially traumatic.

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The battle within: understanding the physiology of war-zone stress exposure

Faced with pervasive loss, life threat, and moral conflict in the field of battle, the human body and brain adapt to extraordinary circumstances in extraordinary ways. These adaptations come at a high price, and many men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are paying that price every day.

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The comparative effectiveness of cognitive processing therapy for male veterans treated in a VHA posttraumatic stress disorder residential rehabilitation program

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of group cognitive processing therapy (CPT) relative to trauma-focused group treatment as usual (TAU) in the context of a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) residential rehabilitation program. Method: Participants were 2 cohorts of male patients in the same program treated with either CPT (n = 104) or TAU (n = 93, prior to the implementation of CPT).

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The complexity of complex PTSD

“This study represents the first demonstration that preparing these patients with specific training in emotion regulation skills has an additive gain over standard CBT.”

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Systemic vulnerabilities to suicide among veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts: review of case reports from a national veterans affairs database

While suicide among recently returned veterans is of great concern, it is a relatively rare occurrence within individual hospitals and clinics. Root cause analysis (RCA) generates a detailed case report that can be used to identify system-based vulnerabilities following an adverse event. Review of a national database of RCA reports may identify common vulnerabilities and assist in the development of more robust prevention strategies.

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Suicide death and hospital-treated suicidal behaviour in asylum seekers in the Netherlands: a national registry-based study

BackgroundSeveral suicide and suicidal behaviour risk factors are highly prevalent in asylum seekers, but there is little insight into the suicide death rate and the suicidal behaviour incidence in this population. The main objective of this study is to assess the burden of suicide and hospital-treated non-fatal suicidal behaviour in asylum seekers in the Netherlands and to identify factors that could guide prevention.MethodsWe obtained data on cases of suicide and suicidal behaviour from all asylum seeker reception centres in the Netherlands (period 2002-2007, age 15+).

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Suicide death and hospital-treated suicidal behaviour in asylum seekers in the Netherlands: a national registry-based study/ S. Goosen [et al.]

AbstractBackgroundBeing an immigrant in a high-income country is a risk factor for severe mental ill health. Studies on mental ill health among immigrants have found significant differences in mental health outcome between immigrants from high income countries and low-income countries. Being an asylum seeker or a refugee is also associated with mental ill health.

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Supporting children after single-incident trauma: Parents' views

AbstractObjective. To strengthen trauma-informed health care by exploring parents’ experiences of assisting their child after single-incident trauma (eg, violence, accidents, and sudden loss). Method. Semistructured interviews with parents (N = 33) of 25 exposed children (8-12 years). Results. Responsive parenting after trauma emerged as a core theme, consisting of (a) being aware of a child’s needs and (b) acting on these needs. The authors identified 14 strategies, such as comparing behavior with siblings’ behavior and providing opportunities to talk.

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