Traumatic loss : Mental health consequences and implications for treatment and prevention

Traumatic loss involves the loss of loved ones in the context of potentially traumatizing circumstances and is a commonly reported traumatic event. It may give rise to disturbed grief, called prolonged grief disorder (PGD) in ICD-11 and persistent complex bereavement disorder (PCBD) in DMS-5, combined with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. The recent inclusion of grief disorders in both DSM-5 and ICD-11 have spurred research on grief-related psychopathology. This special issue on traumatic loss includes 10 articles and two letters.

 

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Conducting research in clinical practice : Challenges in the assessment and treatment of childhood internalizing disorders

Dissertation: Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen

Vanuit de Academische Werkplaats Inside-Out onderzocht Marleen van Doorn de diagnostiek en behandeling van kinderen met angst of depressieve klachten in de klinische praktijk. Bij het stellen van een diagnose is het essentieel dat therapeuten niet alleen de visie van ouders op zulke klachten meewegen, maar ook die van het kind zelf, is een belangrijke conclusie uit het promotieonderzoek.

Onopgemerkte stoornissen 

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No pain, no gain : cross-lagged analyses of posttraumatic growth and anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress and prolonged grief symptoms after loss

Background and objectives: Major negative life-events including bereavement can precipitate perceived positive life-changes, termed posttraumatic growth (PTG). While traditionally considered an adaptive phenomenon, it has been suggested that PTG represents a maladaptive coping response similar to cognitive avoidance. To clarify the function of PTG, it is crucial to establish concurrent and longitudinal associations of PTG with post-event mental health problems. Yet, longitudinal studies on this topic are scarce. The present study fills this gap in knowledge.

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Eritrean Unaccompanied Refugee Minors in Transition : A Focused Ethnography of Challenges and Needs

In the Netherlands, the largest group of unaccompanied refugee minors originates from Eritrea. These minors have been exposed to several distressing events and face psychosocial challenges and drastic changes within their social-ecological environment upon arrival in the Netherlands. The current study explored challenges and needs of Eritrean unaccompanied refugee minors and their caregivers. We conducted a focused ethnography among Eritrean minors (N = 18) and their professional caregivers (N = 15).

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The effectiveness of narrative exposure therapy : a review, meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis

Background: Narrative exposure therapy (NET) is a short-term psychological treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that has been investigated in various contexts among traumatized refugees and other trauma survivors. Sustained treatment results have been reported, but the methodological quality of the trials needs a more thorough examination.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of NET for survivors of trauma, using a quality assessment, an updated meta-analysis, and a meta-regression analysis.

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The vulnerability paradox in global mental health and its applicability to suicide

Background: Previous research has identified a vulnerability paradox in global mental health: contrary to positive associations at the individual level, lower vulnerability at the country level is accompanied by a higher prevalence in a variety of mental health problems in national populations. However, the validity of the paradox has been challenged, specifically for bias from modest sample sizes and reliance on a survey methodology not designed for crossnational comparisons.

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The nexus between conflict-related sexual violence and trafficking for sexual exploitation in times of conflict

In its 2018 report on conflict-related sexual violence the UN Secretary-General reiterated the importance of addressing the nexus between conflict-related sexual violence and trafficking in human beings for purposes of sexual exploitation in conflict. In this article we will explore this nexus from a psychological and a legal point of view. During conflict the climate of impunity and the extreme contrast between the mighty and the powerless offers an optimal setting and inevitable ground for sexual violence.

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Stability and change post-disaster : dynamic relations between individual, interpersonal and community resources and psychosocial functioning

Conservation of Resources (COR) theory defines psychological stress as the result of a threat or actual loss of resources, or lack of resource gain. Given that disasters present a significant risk for resource loss, the aim of this study was to examine the dynamic relationship between the change in different levels of resources and the change in psychosocial functioning.

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Manual on community-based mental health and psychosocial support in emergencies and displacement

This Manual aims to facilitate mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) experts and managers in designing, implementing and evaluating community-based MHPSS (CB MHPSS) programmes, projects and activities for emergency-affected and displaced populations in humanitarian settings. It is specifically designed to support managers and experts hired by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

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On the relativity of the mental health consequences of disasters

What makes individuals, communities, and societies resilient or vulnerable to a disaster from a mental health perspective? How should the causes and consequences of resilience and vulnerability be addressed? These questions delineate the scope of this book.
The first part of the book describes patterns in exposure to adversity, mental health, cultural and socioeconomic characteristics, and professional psychosocial service capacity across country contexts. 

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