The social mechanisms in ideological groups work to promote a cohesive social unit and present significant barriers to disengaging. Nonetheless, involvement in these groups is often not a lifelong commitment and many members do leave. The aim of this study was to explore the personal experience of the exiting process from a diverse range of ideological groups, and to construct a theory of disengagement, through 27 in-depth interviews with former members of 1% motorcycle clubs, military special operations forces, cults, white supremacists and fundamental religious or political groups.

Exposure to mass trauma may bring about increased sensitivity to new or ongoing stressors. It is unclear whether sensitivity to stress associated with ethnic minority/immigrant status may be affected by severe exposure to mass trauma.

Background: Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) is over-represented among those who have lost loved ones to violent causes. To tailor PGD interventions for this vulnerable population it is critical to examine the aetiology of PGD specifically in the context of violent death bereavement. Previous studies have suggested that violent loss increases symptoms of PGD by hindering the mourner’s ability to make meaning of the death or its aftermath.

There has been an unprecedented upsurge in the number of refugees worldwide, the majority being located in low-income countries with limited resources in mental health care. This paper considers contemporary issues in the refugee mental health field, including developments in research, conceptual models, social and psychological interventions, and policy.