Cultural Factors in Traumatic Stress

Yeomans, Peter D.; Forman, Evan M.

doi:10.1002/9781444305807.ch11

Cited by 17 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…Thus, along with the similar living conditions and circumstances, the long history of cultural oppression and marginalisation of the Indigenous populations of Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands may explain the similar prevalence rates of PTSD in these 3 countries. In summation, the similar cultural profiles of Iceland, The Faroe Islands and Greenland combined with the similar prevalence of PTSD, supports the already widespread understanding, that there are culturally determined elements in the aetiology of PTSD and therefore culture must be taken into account when trying to understand the disorder ( 9 , 10 ). Furthermore, the existing literature reveals significant limitations in the application of standard psychiatric methods to Inuit youth ( 28 , 29 ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

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Victimisation and PTSD in a Greenlandic youth sample

Karsberg

Lasgaard²,

Elklit³

2012

International Journal of Circumpolar Health

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BackgroundDespite a growing number of studies and reports indicating a very high and increasing prevalence of trauma exposure in Greenlandic adolescents, the knowledge on this subject is still very limited. The purpose of the present study was twofold: To estimate the lifetime prevalence of potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to examine the relationship between PTEs, estimated PTSD, and sociodemographic variables.MethodsIn a Greenlandic sample from 4 different schools in 2 different minor towns in Northern Greenland, 269 students, aged 12–18 (M=15.4; SD=1.84) were assessed for their level of exposure to 20 PTEs along with the psychological impact of these events.ResultsOf the Greenlandic students, 86% had been directly exposed to at least 1 PTE and 74.3% had been indirectly exposed to at least 1 PTE. The mean number of directly experienced PTEs was 2.8 and the mean number of indirectly experienced PTEs was 3.9. The most frequent direct events recorded were death of someone close, near drowning, threat of assault/beating, humiliation or persecution by others and attempted suicide. The estimated lifetime prevalence of PTSD was 17.1%, whereas another 14.2% reached a subclinical level of PTSD (missing the full diagnosis by 1 symptom). Education level of the father, and being exposed to multiple direct and indirect PTEs were significantly associated with an increase in PTSD symptoms.ConclusionThe findings indicate substantial mental health problems in Greenlandic adolescents and that these are associated with various types of PTEs. Furthermore, the findings indicate that Greenlandic adolescents are more exposed to certain specific PTEs than adolescents in similar studies from other nations. The present study revealed that Greenlandic girls are particularly vulnerable towards experiencing PTEs. Indeed, in general, girls reported more experiences of direct and indirect PTEs. Furthermore, girls reported being more commonly exposed to specific types of PTEs compared to boys.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

“…Studies based on adolescents and adults have shown differences in the prevalence of PTSD in various countries ( 9 , 10 ). This may be attributable to cultural differences.…”

Section: Results From Similar Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Victimisation and PTSD in a Greenlandic youth sample

Karsberg

Lasgaard²,

Elklit³

2012

International Journal of Circumpolar Health

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“…Our respondents noted that the resettlement process itself can be traumatic, a finding that is reflected in the literature [ 1 , 21 , 29 , 40 ]. Families are facing a wide range of difficult pre- and post-migration experiences that create collective trauma [ 1 , 33 , 38 , 41 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

“…In the context of a global diaspora of war refugees, complex trauma poses several challenges to the provision of mental health services in many countries [ 16 ]. In a study on refugees and internally displaced people, Yeoman and Forman note that “PTSD may be an overly narrow characterization of traumatic stress across these different cultures” emphasizing instead experiences of “somatization, anxiety, and depression” [ 21 ]. Lewis-Fernandez have similarly noted the importance of understanding sociocultural contexts, which shape the way trauma is experienced and expressed [ 6 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing trauma in a transcultural context: challenges in mental health care with immigrants and refugees

et al. 2018

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The growing numbers of refugees and immigrants from conflict-prone areas settling throughout the world bring several challenges for those working in the mental health care system. Immigrants and refugees of all ages arrive with complex and nuanced mental health histories of war, torture, and strenuous migration journeys. Many of the challenges of addressing the health care needs for this growing population of immigrants and refugees are often unfamiliar, and thus practices to address these challenges are not yet routine for care providers and health care organizations. In particular, complex trauma can make mental health assessments difficult for health care organizations or care providers with limited experience and training in transcultural or trauma-informed care. Using a transcultural approach can improve assessment and screening processes, leading to more effective and high-quality care for immigrant and refugee families experiencing mental health disorders.This paper presents findings from an assessment of current mental health services focusing on current practices and experiences with immigrant and refugee patients and families. The difficulties in developing shared understandings about mental health can hinder the therapeutic process; therefore, it is imperative to ensure an effective assessment right from the beginning, yet there is limited use of existing cultural formulation tools from the DSM-IV or DSM-5. The paper outlines current practices, approaches, challenges, and recommendations shared by mental health care providers and program leaders in addressing the mental health care needs of immigrants and refugees. The results from this study demonstrate that there are many challenges and inconsistencies in providing transcultural, trauma-informed care. Respondents emphasized the need for a thorough yet flexible and adaptive approach that allows for an exploration of differences in cultural interpretations of mental health. Our study concluded that ensuring a mindful, reflexive, transcultural, and trauma-informed health care workforce, and a learning environment to support staff with education, resources, and tools will improve the health care experiences of immigrants and refugees in the mental health care system.

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“…This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly. is problematic because symptoms described may not be universally evidenced and translations are difficult (Yeomans & Forman, 2009).…”

Section: Limitations Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Posttraumatic nightmares of traumatized refugees: Dream work integrating cultural values.

Schubert

Punamäki

2016

Dreaming

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This study examines the mental health function of dreams and dream work in integrative psychotherapy with 2 refugee women. The clients were from West Africa and the Middle East, and both suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and repetitive nightmares. In a culturally sensitive integrative psychotherapy dreams were interpreted with respect for cultural meanings. The dream work initiated a mutual exploration of the dream images and led to an insightful processing of traumatic experiences.

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Cultural Factors in Traumatic Stress

Cited by 17 publications

References 74 publications

Victimisation and PTSD in a Greenlandic youth sample

Victimisation and PTSD in a Greenlandic youth sample

Assessing trauma in a transcultural context: challenges in mental health care with immigrants and refugees

Posttraumatic nightmares of traumatized refugees: Dream work integrating cultural values.

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