Epigenetics of traumatic stress : The association of NR3C1 methylation and posttraumatic stress disorder symptom changes in response to narrative exposure therapy

Epigenetic processes allow plasticity in gene regulation in response to significant environmental events. Accumulating evidence suggests that effective psychotherapy is accompanied by epigenetic changes, rendering DNA methylation a potential biomarker of therapy success. Due to the central role of glucocorticoid dynamics in stress regulation and the alteration of aversive memories, glucocorticoid receptors are likely involved in the molecular processes that are required to successfully treat Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

 

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The impact of trauma-focused psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder on interpersonal functioning : A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

Interpersonal functioning is a common concern for people with postttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but is not a key target of most trauma-focused psychotherapies (TFPs). We preregistered and undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) examining the efficacy of TFPs for improving interpersonal functioning. Studies were identified through the PTSD Trials Standardized Data Repository, scholarly databases, and the solicitation of unpublished data from the PTSD research community following current PRISMA guidelines.

 

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“Our Religion is on Us, Like How Our Parents Raised Us” : The Role of Islam and Spirituality in the Lives of Syrian Refugee Caregivers

This study addresses two distinct but interwoven questions on the link between spirituality and religion in the lives of Syrian Muslim refugee parents. (1) How do religious and spiritual convictions impact these refugees and their families? (2) How do these convictions shape Syrian Muslim refugee parents’ own positionality as caregivers and as individuals?

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Dialectical behaviour therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (DBT-PTSD) : transportability to everyday clinical care in a residential mental health centre

Background: Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (DBT-PTSD) is a phase-based treatment for PTSD. The DBT-PTSD treatment programme’s efficacy has not been tested during standard operation, outside of laboratory outcome studies.

 

Objective: The present pilot study investigated the transportability of the DBT-PTSD treatment to a real word clinical setting in a residential mental health centre.

 

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Hallucinations and Hallucinogens : Psychopathology or Wisdom?

Hallucinations are currently associated almost exclusively with psychopathological states. While it is evident that hallucinations can indicate psychopathology or neurological disorders, we should remember that hallucinations also commonly occur in people without any signs of psychopathology. A similar case occurs in the case of hallucinogenic drugs, which have been long associated with psychopathology and insanity. However, during the last decades a huge body of research has shown that certain kinds of hallucinations, exerted by hallucinogenic drugs, may serve to improve mental health.

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Antidepressant and anti-suicidal effects of ketamine in treatment-resistant depression associated with psychiatric and personality comorbidities : A double-blind randomized trial

Objective
To evaluate the effects of ketamine treatment on depression and suicidal ideation in treatment resistant depression (TRD) and to determine whether they are influenced by other psychiatric and personality comorbidities.

 

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Holocaust communication, attachment orientation and distress among descendants of female holocaust survivors

The multiple studies that have examined the transgenerational transmission of Holocaust trauma from survivors to their descendants have yielded inconsistent results. These can be attributed to differences in assessment tools and to individual differences between survivors, such as their specific experiences during the Holocaust.

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War exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder, and complex posttraumatic stress disorder among parents living in Ukraine during the Russian war

Background
High rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been documented in war-affected populations. The prevalence of Complex PTSD (CPTSD) has never been assessed in an active war zone. Here, we provide initial data on war-related experiences, and prevalence rates of ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD in a large sample of adults in Ukraine during the Russian war. We also examined how war-related stressors, PTSD, and CPTSD were associated with age, sex, and living location in Ukraine.

 

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The impact of trauma-informed suicide prevention approaches : A systematic review of evidence across the lifespan

Trauma is associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing suicidality, indicating the need for and potential value of trauma-informed suicide prevention strategies.

 

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Patterns and predictive value of acute prolonged grief and posttraumatic stress in youngsters confronted with traumatic loss : A latent class analysis

Deaths of relatives and peers in potentially traumatizing circumstances may lead to symptoms of prolonged grief (PG, e.g.,yearning, preoccupation) and posttraumatic stress (PTS, e.g., re-experiencing, hypervigilance). There is limited knowledge about how symptoms of PG and PTS co-occur following such events. The current study aimed to identify patterns of DSM-5-TR defined PG symptomatology and PTS in a sample of 213 youngsters, involved in a school bus accident killing seven peers 2 months earlier.

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