Can Asylum-Seekers with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Be Successfully Treated? A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

Neuner, Frank; Kurreck, Silke; Ruf, Martina; Odenwald, Michael; Elbert, Thomas; Schauer, Margarete

doi:10.1080/16506070903121042

Cited by 162 publications

(142 citation statements)

References 31 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

131

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…It is well-known that specialized treatment centres often admit treatment-resistant refugees with higher symptom severity (Drozdek, 2015). In fact, the mean scale score of the investigated sample is comparable to those of other intervention studies on traumatized refugees in specialized treatment centres in terms of symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD (Carlsson et al, 2010; Neuner et al, 2010; Schock, Bottche, Rosner, Wenk-Ansohn, & Knaevelsrud, 2016). Thus, the results of the current study should be interpreted against this background.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

“…Furthermore, high symptom loads after treatment were found in different studies including traumatized refugees (e.g. Buhmann et al, 2015; Carlsson et al, 2010; Neuner et al, 2010), suggesting that even after successful treatment, many patients still meet diagnostic criteria for trauma-related disorders and might still need low-threshold treatment options after therapy. To meet this need and to prevent strong and/or long-lasting symptom relapses (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Multidisciplinary treatment for traumatized refugees in a naturalistic setting: symptom courses and predictors

Stammel

Knaevelsrud

Schock³

et al. 2017

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Multidisciplinary treatment approaches are commonly used in specialized psychosocial centres for the treatment of traumatized refugees, but empirical evidence for their efficacy is inconsistent. Objective: In order to obtain more evidence on the development of mental health and well-being of traumatized refugees who receive multidisciplinary treatment, symptom courses of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and somatoform symptoms as well as in the subjective quality of life were investigated in the course of a multidisciplinary treatment. In addition, it was analysed if sociodemographic variables were predictors for possible changes in symptomatology and quality of life. Method: N = 76 patients of the outpatient clinic of a psychosocial centre for traumatized refugees receiving regular multidisciplinary treatment were surveyed using standardized questionnaires at three measurement points (at the beginning of treatment, and after an average of 7 and 14 months of treatment) in a single-group design. Results: Multilevel analysis showed significant improvements of symptoms of PTSD (p < .001), depression (p < .001), anxiety (p < .001), and somatoform symptoms (p = .002) as well as of the subjective quality of life (p < .001) over time. Among the tested predictors (gender, age, country of origin), age was a significant predictor for the course of somatoform symptoms (p < .05). Younger patients showed greater improvements in symptomatology over time than older ones. Conclusions: The results suggest that the received multidisciplinary treatment had a positive effect on trauma-related symptoms as well as on quality of life of traumatized refugees. There was no indication that sociodemographic characteristics predicted the symptom courses of the patients, except for somatoform symptoms. Younger patients benefitted more from multidisciplinary treatment than older ones.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multidisciplinary treatment for traumatized refugees in a naturalistic setting: symptom courses and predictors

Stammel

Knaevelsrud

Schock³

et al. 2017

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…As compared to trauma-focused treatments, such as Narrative Exposure Therapy (Neuner et al, 2010), and in line with the transdiagnostic concept of the treatment, improvement in the total score of the GHQ-28 was much larger than in the PLC-5, suggesting that the primary effect of the treatment may have been stronger on general mental health than on specific symptoms of PTSD. The reduction of the PCL-5 was lower than the controlled effects of RCTs with trauma-focused treatments in a recent meta-analysis, among them Narrative Exposure Therapy as the best-evaluated (Nosè et al, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Transdiagnostic culturally adapted CBT with Farsi-speaking refugees: a pilot study

Kananian

Ayoughi

Farugie

et al. 2017

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Approximately half of all asylum seekers suffer from trauma-related disorders requiring treatment, among them Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms. There is a lack of easily accessible, low-threshold treatments taking the cultural background into account. Culturally Adapted CBT (CA CBT) is a well evaluated, transdiagnostic group intervention for refugees, using psychoeducation, meditation, and Yoga-like exercises. Objective: An uncontrolled pilot study with male Farsi-speaking refugees from Afghanistan and Iran was conducted to investigate feasibility with this ethnic group; a group for which no previous CBT trials have been reported. Method: The participants were nine Farsi-speaking, male refugees with M.I.N.I./DSM-IV diagnoses comprising PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorders. Treatment components were adapted to the specific cultural framework of perception of symptoms, causes, ideas of healing, and local therapeutic processes. Before and after 12 weeks of treatment, the primary outcome was assessed using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Secondary outcome measures were the Posttraumatic Checklist, Patient Health Questionnaire, Somatic Symptom Scale, World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF), Affective Style Questionnaire (ASQ), and Emotion Regulation Scale (ERS). Results: Seven participants completed treatment. In the completer analysis, improvements were found on almost all questionnaires. Large effect sizes were seen for the GHQ-28 (d = 2.0), WHOQOL-BREF scales (d = 1.0–2.3), ASQ tolerating subscale (d = 2.2), and ERS (d = 1.7). With respect to feasibility, cultural adaptation seemed to be a crucial means to promote effectiveness. Conclusion: CA CBT may reduce general psychopathological distress and improve quality of life. Improvement in emotion regulation strategies may mediate treatment effects. More support should be provided to enhance coping with the uncertainty of asylum status and stressful housing conditions. CA CBT appears to be a promising transdiagnostic treatment, serving as an initial low-threshold therapy in a stepped care approach.

show abstract

“…Systematic review of treatment modalities for PTSD in refugee populations found that no treatment modality was firmly supported, but there was evidence for the effectiveness of narrative exposure therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy (e.g., Crumlish, & O'Rourke, 2010, Robjant, & Fazel, 2010Neuner et al, 2009). There is an empirical evidence of the effectiveness of trauma-focused CBT on refugees (e.g., Kruse, Joksimovic, Cavka, et al, 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Mental Health Effects of Torture Trauma and Its Severity: A Replication and Extension

Kira¹,

Ashby²,

Odenat³

et al. 2013

PSYCH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

To clarify the effects of torture trauma and its components on PTSD and other mental health conditions, we investigated the relationship between measures for PTSD, Cumulative trauma disorders CTD, cumulative life trauma, torture and torture severity in a sample of 326 torture survivors. Hierarchical multiple regressions found no significant association between torture and PTSD. However, when we examined the effects of different types of torture we found witnessing and sexual tortures were significant predictors of PTSD and CTD. Path analysis results found that torture trauma and its severity may not be predicative of PTSD; but it is highly predictive of the more complex syndromes of CTD. The implications of the results for treating torture survivors were discussed. One of the important findings is the potential effects of torture on decreased re-experiencing and emotional numbness. Torture trauma may be too emotionally and physically painful experience that tends to be suppressed decreasing re-experiencing and increasing dissociation.

show abstract

Can Asylum-Seekers with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Be Successfully Treated? A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

Cited by 162 publications

References 31 publications

Multidisciplinary treatment for traumatized refugees in a naturalistic setting: symptom courses and predictors

Multidisciplinary treatment for traumatized refugees in a naturalistic setting: symptom courses and predictors

Transdiagnostic culturally adapted CBT with Farsi-speaking refugees: a pilot study

The Mental Health Effects of Torture Trauma and Its Severity: A Replication and Extension

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About