Intrusive traumatic recollections and comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder in depressed patients.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Recent studies have found evidence of the presence and role of intrusive traumatic memories in depressed patients. In this study, we attempted to replicate these findings, examining the full range of early and later traumatic events, as well as comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder, in male and female depressed patients.

METHODS:

Health Problems Among Latin-American and Middle-Eastern Refugees in the Netherlands: Relations With Violence Exposure and Ongoing Sociopsychological Strain

In two studies (n = 480; n = 156), the health problems (somatic, psychological, and migration-related complaints) of refugees were examined, in relation to violence, demographic, and asylum variables (ongoing sociopsychological strain). High frequencies for torture events and a substantial number of medical complaints were reported, but few cases ofdiagnosable Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) were identified (Study I: 6%; Study II: 11%). Not only reported violence, but also the current social situation contributed to the experiencing of ongoing health complaints.

Nocturnal Re-Experiencing More Than Forty Years After War Trauma

The aim of this study was the examination of Posttraumatic Nightmares (PTNM) and Posttraumatic Anxiety Dreams (PTAD) in Dutch combat veterans and World War II victims. Participants (outpatients; n = 223) were administered a standardized psychiatric interview, the Impact of Event Scale, the SCL-90, the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale, and an interview on posttraumatic nocturnal re-experiencing. Prevalence of PTNM was 56%. Patients with PTNM, even those who were not diagnosed with PTSD, had significantly more psychiatric complaints than patients with no PTNM.

A randomized clinical trial of brief eclectic psychotherapy in police officers with posttraumatic stress disorder

The authors report on a randomized, controlled clinical trial on the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), comparing manualized psychotherapy to wait-list control. This is the first study to evaluate Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy (BEP), which combines cognitive–behavioral and psychodynamic approaches within one treatment method. Forty-two police officers with the diagnosis of PTSD participated in the study; 22 were randomly assigned to the treatment group and 20 to the wait-list control group.

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