Case report:The impact of torture on mental health in the narratives of two torture survivors

Key points of interest:

 

• The effects of NET may be improved by tailor-made or culturally sensitive interventions that address shame, guilt, disgust and cognitions about safety, trust, power, self-esteem, and intimacy.

 

• Building trust and taking time to pace the therapeutic process is particularly important when treating survivors of torture.

 

 

Abstract

 

Introduction:

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Factors associated with common mental health problems of humanitarian workers in South Sudan

 

Background

The latest data on major attacks against civilian aid operations have identified South Sudan as the most dangerous country for aid workers globally. Exposure to other traumatic events and chronic stress is also common in this population. No research exists on the mental health of humanitarian workers in South Sudan.

 

 

Objectives

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Structural Validity of the World Assumption Scale

The World Assumption Scale (WAS) is a frequently used measure in trauma research. The 32 items of the WAS are intended to represent eight assumptions about the benevolence of the world, the meaningfulness of events, and the worthiness of the self. Debate about the validity of the WAS is ongoing, particularly in terms of its empirical factor structure; some studies have confirmed a model of eight correlated factors whereas several other studies have not.

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Reducing uncertainty in research : introducing registered reports

On its website, the European Journal of Psychotraumatology (EJPT) states ‘The Journal shares ESTSS’s mission to advance and disseminate scientific knowledge about traumatic stress’ (European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 2018; www.tandfonline.com/ejpt). So far, this reads like the mission statement of almost every society’s academic journal. However, the EJPT differs from many other journals in how it approaches this goal.

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Trauma and resilience in unaccompanied minor refugees : Considerations and findings

Unaccompanied refugee minors where confronted with war, terror or disaster in their country. Forced by attrocious circumstances, they had to edcape their homeland and to migate to other an often unfamiliar countries or even continents.

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Towards an Afghan counselling psychology : A partnership to integrate psychological counselling into the university curriculum at Afghanistan’s flagship public universities

Developing sustainable efforts to address the psychosocial consequences of complex emergencies is often a challenge. There is a limit to what humanitarian efforts can achieve, even with the best of intentions. Locally based tertiary education programmes are needed to provide conceptual frameworks and to develop and sustain professional psychosocial support programmes both during and after the emergency.

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Value-based counselling : Reflections on fourteen years of psychosocial support in Afghanistan

The psychosocial and mental health support system in Afghanistan has evolved significantly over the last decades. Inge Missmahl, founder and director of the International Psychosocial Organisation gGmbH traces the history of the sector over the last fourteen years and reflects on working towards the long-term integration of biopsychosocial mental health care in the Afghan Public Health System. Health system integration was accomplished through development and training delivery of a value-based counselling approach.

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Studying the effectiveness of motivational group therapy in heroin addicts in Kabul

Afghanistan has one of the highest rates of substance use in the world, yet existing treatment focuses on detoxification, residential rehabilitation and with very low intensity aftercare. Current available treatment should be changed to more evidence-based modalities, such as structured psychosocial interventions. In addition, the main role of affect in development, maintenance and abstinence of substance use disorders should be also taken into account.

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The efficacy of memory specificity training in improving symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in bereaved Afghan adolescents

The main objective of this study was to study the effectiveness of memory specificity training (MEST) on the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) of bereaved Afghan adolescents. Participants were bereaved Afghan adolescents with PTSD and depressive symptomatology and were randomly assigned into the MEST, trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT) and a control group. In this study, a quasi-experimental design with pretest–post-test and follow-up with experimental and control groups was used.

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Developing a culturally relevant counselling psychology degree programme in Afghanistan : Results from a DACUM study

This paper reports on the results of a research study that was conducted by the members of the Departments of Counselling at Kabul University and Herat University in collaboration with their international advisors. The purpose of the study was to determine how Afghans practicing counselling psychology or wishing to employ professional psychological counsellors understand and operationalize the knowledge, skills and values required to be a professional counsellor in Afghanistan.

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