Talking to Terrorists. Understanding the Psycho-Social Motivations of Militant Jihadi Terrorists, Mass Hostage Takers, Suicide Bombers & Martyrs

Talking to Terrorists is an account, spanning over a decade, of traveling through the West Bank and Gaza, into the prisons in Iraq, down the alleyways of the Casa Blanca slums, inside Chechnya, into the radicalized neighborhoods of Belgium, the UK, France and the Netherlands, sitting with the hostages of Beslan and Nord Ost, and talking to terrorists... In it's pages, Dr. Speckhard gives us an account of what puts vulnerable individuals on the terrorist trajectory and what might also take them back off it.

Temperamental Traits and Severity of PTSD Symptoms: Data from Longitudinal Studies of Motor Vehicle Accident Survivors

The paper presents the results of a longitudinal study of two groups of participants of motor vehicle accidents (MVA). They were investigated twice: The first time after 1–6 months (N = 362) or 12–24 months (N = 337) after a MVA, and then 1 year after the initial assessment. We assumed that, among the environmental variables (severity of experienced trauma, trauma-related prolonged stressors, other traumatic event and social support), two temperamental traits, emotional reactivity and briskness, would be factors influencing the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Terrorism, civil war, one-sided violence and global burden of disease

Armed conflict and related violence, including terrorism and one-sided violence, has profound effects on people's health and lives. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between deaths due to terrorism, civil war and one-sided violence from 1994-2000 and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) occurring in 2002 attributable to all causes and specific communicable and noncommunicable diseases.

Terrorist's Creed : fanatical violence and the search for meaning

A study of the origins and motivations behind terrorism. Roger Griffin explores the nature of fear in post-modern society, alongside the metapolitical universe of the terrorist. This work highlights the impulsive and passionate drivers of violence.

Terrorists meeting their victims: a case study of psychologists' experiences of former terrorists meeting survivors

Purpose - Acts of violent extremism have become more regular in the past decade. Little research has managed to analyse the interplay between the individuals who have carried out these acts and those who have experienced them. By bringing two such groups together in direct contact with each other, The Summit Against Violent Extremism (SAVE) offered a unique opportunity to explore the experiences of former violent extremists and victims of terrorist acts. This article aims to focus on this initiative.

Statistical methodological issues in handling of fatty acid data: percentage or concentration, imputation and indices.

AbstractBasic aspects in the handling of fatty acid-data have remained largely underexposed. Of these, we aimed to address three statistical methodological issues, by quantitatively exemplifying their imminent confounding impact on analytical outcomes: (1) presenting results as relative percentages or absolute concentrations, (2) handling of missing/non-detectable values, and (3) using structural indices for data-reduction. Therefore, we reanalyzed an example dataset containing erythrocyte fatty acid-concentrations of 137 recurrently depressed patients and 73 controls.

Sustained medically unexplained physical symptoms in euthymic patients with recurrent depression: predictive value for recurrence and associations with omega 3- and 6 fatty acids and 5-HTTLPR?

AbstractBackgroundIdentification of potentially modifiable risk factors for recurrence in recurrent depression could provide opportunities to improve preventive interventions. In this study we aimed to examine the predictive value of medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) on time to recurrence in recurrent depression. Additionally, to elucidate pathophysiological mechanisms that could explain the relations between MUPS and depression, we investigate the association between a sustained high level of MUPS, and (I) omega (?)–3 and ?

Social connectedness: A potential aetiological factor in the development of child post-traumatic stress disorder

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate a new social connectedness factor and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in children who experienced a cyclone disaster. Method: Three months post-disaster school-based screening for PTSD was conducted. 804 children (mean age=10.22 years, SD=1.24) participated. 12.0% of children reported severe or very severe PTSD symptoms. Results: Low connected children, adjusted for age, gender and independent of cyclone exposure and threat perception, were 3.96 times more likely to experience severe to very severe PTSD.

Somatic Diseases in Child Survivors of the Holocaust With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The incidence of mental and somatic sequelae has been shown to be very high in people who survived the Holocaust. In the current study, 80 Holocaust survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder were examined based on evaluation of their complete record (medical reports, clinical history, medical statements, and handwritten declarations of patients under oath). These survivors were compared with subjects with posttraumatic stress disorder caused by traumata other than the Holocaust.

Sleep disturbances and post-traumatic stress disorder, A perpetual circle?

AbstractBackground: Sleep facilitates the consolidation of fear extinction memory. Disrupted sleep has been proposed as a vulnerability factor for the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Moreover, nightmares and insomnia are hallmark symptoms of PTSD, possibly interfering with fear extinction and compromising recovery. A perpetual circle may develop when sleep increases the risk for PTSD, and PTSD leads to an increase of sleep disturbances. To date, therapeutic options for alleviating sleep disturbances in PTSD are limited.

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