Het doel van deze leidraad is een overzicht bieden van de beschikbare evidence over problemen met de geestelijke gezondheid bij migranten en advies geven aan clinici en beleidsmakers over de wijze waarop passende en laagdrempelige geestelijke gezondheidszorg aan migranten kan worden geboden. De drie fasen van migratie en de relevante implicaties daarvan voor de geestelijke gezondheid worden beschreven, evenals de specifieke problemen van groepen als vrouwen, kinderen en adolescenten, ouderen, vluchtelingen en asielzoekers, en lesbische, homoseksuele, biseksuele en transgender personen.

Clinical experience in psychiatry shows the problem of somatizing patients, especially in the group of non-western migrants and refugees. A literature search of somatization in refugees shows a more differentiated view. Some studies report no difference in somatization between refugees and the general population, whereas others do. The majority of studies, however, indicate a high amount of somatic complaints in refugees, mostly of unknown origin.

Traumatized parents and their relationship with their children in a historical and cultural perspective Whether or not children can be affected by the traumatization of their parents has been the topic of a longstanding discussion. Clinical reports emphasized the severity of parental emotional problems and subsequent transmission of such problems across generations, but most systematic and controlled studies have not found any extreme psychopathology. However, research could have been biased as it reported on grown-up children of parents with traumatic experiences.

In this paper, the theme of the special issue on Culture and Trauma is introduced. In both empirically oriented articles as well as theoretical and contemplative contributions, the role of culture and migration context in the development of psychological problems following trauma, culture-specific or generic coping with the consequences, help-seeking behavior, and the need for culturally sensitive treatment is explored.