Post-Migration Stress as a Moderator Between Traumatic Exposure and Self-Reported Mental Health Symptoms in a Sample of Somali Refugees

Bentley, Jacob A.; Thoburn, John W.; Stewart, David G.; Boynton, Lorin

doi:10.1080/15325024.2012.665008

Cited by 34 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…This result is comparable to prior findings that reflect the connection between poor English language skills and distress among refugees [3,23,32]. The ability to communicate in the primary language of the host country reduces contextual barriers that, in turn, contribute to reductions in psychological distress [7].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

“…One reason for this discrepancy could be that the phase of resettlement may moderate the relationship between contextual factors and mental health outcomes [24,33,34]. Bentley and colleagues [3] examined post-migration contextual barriers, such as separation from family, poverty, and employment status, as a moderator between pre-migration trauma and current mental health symptoms among Somali refugees. Findings revealed that while contextual barriers did not serve as a moderator when examining somatic, anxiety, or PTSD symptoms, they did significantly moderate the relationship between pre-migration trauma and depression symptoms for those exposed to low levels of trauma.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a result, refugees tend to suffer greater stress than non-refugee immigrants [12,13], and may experience posttraumatic stress, symptoms of depression, long term fatigue, and anxiety [14,15]. In addition, refugees face significant contextual barriers (e.g., economic struggles, family separation, and acculturation difficulties) during the resettlement process [3,16,17,18]. While many studies have assessed the effects of mental health treatment [2,8,10,19,20] and contextual factors [21,21,23] on refugees' psychological distress, less empirical work has been concentrated on the effects of contextual factors on psychological distress over time [24], which is the purpose of this study.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The United States, in particular, is the world's leading nation for refugee resettlement, with over 2.5 million refugees having been resettled since 1975 [1,2]. Studies have demonstrated that refugees tend to experience high levels of psychological distress [3,4,5,6], and, in turn, suffer from a disproportionately higher percentage of mental health problems [7,8]. Given the current global refugee crisis and ensuing sociopolitical, emotional, and psychological consequences, it is critical for public health scholars and practitioners to understand the needs of this population.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Refugee Resettlement in the U.S.: The Impact of Contextual Factors on Psychological Distress

Ramzy¹,

Jackman²,

Soberay³

et al. 2017

ujph

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The purpose of the current study was to examine the contribution of behavioral health treatment and several contextual factors -employment, English language proficiency, family separation, and local family support --to psychological distress among newly resettled refugees over one year. Pre-and post-data were collected between July 2014 and January 2016 at an integrated care refugee clinic located in the western United States. The sample (N = 77) consisted of a diverse group of refugees, most of whom recently arrived from Burma, Iraq, Bhutan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Somalia. The Refugee Health Screener-15 (RHS-15) was used to measure psychological distress at the initial screening and at 12 months for refugees who indicated distress at baseline. Findings indicated a significant increase in psychological distress for those who were employed, and a significant decrease in distress for those with at least some English language proficiency and for those who have family residing in or near their country of origin. Research recommendations include using a larger sample size and more robust assessment tools to further understand the influence of family separation on psychological distress. Practice recommendations include providing advanced employment options and increasing host country language class access for newly arrived refugees.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Refugee Resettlement in the U.S.: The Impact of Contextual Factors on Psychological Distress

Ramzy¹,

Jackman²,

Soberay³

et al. 2017

ujph

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…An HTQ interview with a PTSD score of 2.5 is considered positive for PTSD. In research with traumatized refugees, internal consistency for HTQ Part IV, Questions 1 to 16, has been reported with Cronbach alphas ranging from .74 to .95 (e.g., Bentley, Thoburn, Stewart, & Boynton, 2012;Jakobsen, Thoresen, & Johansen, 2011;Kleijn, Hovens, & Rodenburg, 2001). We obtained a Cronbach's alpha of .85 at T1, .89 at T2, and .93 at T3.…”

Section: The Harvard Trauma Questionnairementioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship of Pretreatment Rorschach Factors to Symptoms, Quality of Life, and Real-Life Functioning in a 3-Year Follow-Up of Traumatized Refugee Patients

Opaas

Hartmann

Wentzel‐Larsen

et al. 2015

Journal of Personality Assessment

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Lay-Led Intervention for War and Refugee Trauma

Zoellner,

Bentley,

Musa

et al. 2024

JAMA Netw Open

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ImportanceThe global refugee crisis disproportionately affects the Muslim world. Forced displacement often results in trauma-related mental health issues. Effective psychotherapy exists, but there are barriers to uptake by refugee groups as well as a lack of culturally appropriate interventions.ObjectiveTo examine the efficacy of a brief, lay-led, mosque-based intervention, Islamic Trauma Healing (ITH), adapting empirically supported cognitive behavioral principles to improve mental health and well-being.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsIn a randomized clinical trial, 101 participants received ITH or active assessment but delayed intervention (waiting list [WL]) in mosques and virtually in Seattle, Washington, and Columbus, Ohio, and were assessed through 12-week follow-up. Data were collected from July 14, 2018, through July 14, 2022, and data analysis was conducted from March 13 to July 31, 2023. United States–based refugees from Somalia who experienced a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) Criterion A trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) reexperiencing or avoidance. Analyses were intention-to-treat, using full information likelihood for missing data.InterventionIslamic Trauma Healing included psychoeducation, discussion of the lives of prophets who had undergone trauma, and informal prayer turning to Allah about the trauma, incorporating cognitive restructuring and imaginal exposure. Lay-leader training is purposely brief: two 4-hour sessions with weekly supervision.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome was PTSD severity (measured with the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale for DSM-5 [PDS-5]). Secondary outcomes included depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), somatic symptoms (Somatic Symptoms Severity-8), and quality of well-being (World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index). Analyses were intention-to-treat.ResultsAnalyses were based on all 101 randomized participants (92 [91.1%] women; 9 [8.9%] men; mean [SD] age, 46.5 [12.02] years) with baseline mean (SD) PDS-5 score of 31.62 (16.55) points. There were significant differences in PTSD severity (d = −0.67), depression (d = −0.66), and well-being (d = 0.71), comparing ITH vs WL after the intervention. Gains were maintained through 12-week follow-up. Islamic Trauma Healing was consistent with religious and cultural practices (mean [SD], 3.8 [0.43]) and promoted community reconciliation (mean [SD], 3.8 [0.42]).Conclusions and RelevanceIn this randomized clinical trial of a brief, lay-led mental health intervention, ITH proved superior to WL. The findings suggest that ITH has the potential to provide an easily trainable and scalable intervention, incorporating Islam and empirically supported principles, that addresses the psychological wounds of war and refugee trauma.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03502278

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Post-Migration Stress as a Moderator Between Traumatic Exposure and Self-Reported Mental Health Symptoms in a Sample of Somali Refugees

Cited by 34 publications

References 27 publications

Refugee Resettlement in the U.S.: The Impact of Contextual Factors on Psychological Distress

Refugee Resettlement in the U.S.: The Impact of Contextual Factors on Psychological Distress

Relationship of Pretreatment Rorschach Factors to Symptoms, Quality of Life, and Real-Life Functioning in a 3-Year Follow-Up of Traumatized Refugee Patients

Lay-Led Intervention for War and Refugee Trauma

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