Specific Trauma Subtypes Improve the Predictive Validity of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire in Iraqi Refugees

Arnetz, Bengt B.; Broadbridge, Carissa L.; Jamil, Hikmet; Lumley, Mark A.; Pole, Nnamdi; Barkho, Evone; Fakhouri, Monty; Talia, Yousif R.; Arnetz, Judith E.

doi:10.1007/s10903-014-9995-9

Cited by 40 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Pre‐displacement exposure to traumatic experiences and violence was measured at baseline using the traumatic event component of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), Arabic version (Shoeb, Weinstein & Mollica, ). This checklist of 39 pre‐displacement trauma exposure items was specifically developed for use in an Iraqi refugee population and has been used in prior research examining Iraqi refugee mental health (e.g., Arnetz, Broadbridge, Jamil et al ., ; Nickerson, Liddell, Maccallum, Steel, Silove & Bryant, ). Items were summed to create a cumulative pre‐displacement trauma score with all refugees receiving a score ranging from 0 to 39 (all items are listed in Table ).…”

Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 81%

Unemployment in Iraqi refugees: The interaction of pre and post‐displacement trauma

Wright

Dhalimi

Lumley

et al. 2016

Scandinavian J Psychology

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Previous refugee research has been unable to link pre-displacement trauma with unemployment in the host country. The current study assessed the role of pre-displacement trauma, post-displacement trauma, and the interaction of both trauma types to prospectively examine unemployment in a random sample of newly-arrived Iraqi refugees. Participants (N=286) were interviewed three times over the first two years post-arrival. Refugees were assessed for pre-displacement trauma exposure, post-displacement trauma exposure, a history of unemployment in the country of origin and host country, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Analyses found that neither pre-displacement nor post-displacement trauma independently predicted unemployment 2 years post-arrival; however, the interaction of pre and post-displacement trauma predicted 2-year unemployment. Refugees with high levels of both pre and post-displacement trauma had a 91% predicted probability of unemployment, whereas those with low levels of both traumas had a 20% predicted probability. This interaction remained significant after controlling for sociodemographic variables and mental health upon arrival to the U.S. Resettlement agencies and community organizations should consider the interactive effect of encountering additional trauma after escaping the hardships of the refugee's country of origin.

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Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 81%

Unemployment in Iraqi refugees: The interaction of pre and post‐displacement trauma

Wright

Dhalimi

Lumley

et al. 2016

Scandinavian J Psychology

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“…has a stronger relationship to PTSD diagnosis or symptoms than does cumulative trauma exposure (e.g., sum total of all prior trauma experiences) [6, 11, 13]. The current results add to this literature by demonstrating a specific type of trauma, kidnapping, is associated with PTSD diagnosis in this Iraqi refugee sample.…”

Section: New Contribution To the Literaturesupporting

confidence: 52%

“…To date, most studies have focused on the mental health effects of aggregate exposure to war-related traumas such as torture, mass violence, and discrimination [6–12]. Recent research, however, indicates that different types of trauma have different mental health effects [13–15]. The present paper examines a relatively common but understudied specific, potentially high-intensity trauma that can occur during war—kidnapping—and its association with post-relocation psychopathology among refugees.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kidnapping and Mental Health in Iraqi Refugees: The Role of Resilience

Wright

Talia

Aldhalimi

et al. 2016

J Immigrant Minority Health

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Although kidnapping is common in war-torn countries, there is little research examining its psychological effects. Iraqi refugees (N = 298) were assessed upon arrival to the U.S. and 1 year later. At arrival, refugees were asked about prior trauma exposure, including kidnapping. One year later refugees were assessed for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression disorder (MDD) using the SCID-I. Individual resilience and narratives of the kidnapping were also assessed. Twenty-six refugees (9 %) reported being kidnapped. Compared to those not kidnapped, those who were had a higher prevalence of PTSD, but not MDD, diagnoses. Analyses examining kidnapping victims revealed that higher resilience was associated with lower rates of PTSD. Narratives of the kidnapping were also discussed. This study suggests kidnapping is associated with PTSD, but not MDD. Additionally, kidnapping victims without PTSD reported higher individual resilience. Future studies should further elucidate risk and resilience mechanisms.

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“…The main dependent variable, PTS symptoms, was measured using the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), which 7 is a 30-item scale that measures trauma symptom levels during the past week. Reported to have good levels of reliability and validity, 8 the instrument has been utilised in South African and South Sudanese studies. 4,9 The responses are based on self-reporting using the same 4-point Likert scale throughout: ‘1 – not at all’, ‘2 – a little bit’, ‘3 – quite a bit’ or ‘4 – extremely’.…”

Section: Research Methods and Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual trauma and post-traumatic stress among African female refugees and migrants in South Africa

Mhlongo

Tomita

Thela

et al. 2018

South African Journal of Psychiatry

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Background While there is considerable research in developed countries on the nature and extent of post-traumatic stress among refugees and migrants, few report on female Africans migrating within Africa. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the association between exposure to traumatic life events and post-traumatic stress disorder risk in refugees and migrants in Durban, South Africa, with specific focus on sexual trauma events among women. Methods Interviews were conducted on 157 consenting non-South African adults using a sociodemographic questionnaire, Life Events Checklist (documenting traumatic events experienced) and the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (measuring post-traumatic symptomatology). Associations between total number of traumatic events and post-traumatic stress were explored using adjusted regression models. Results The results of one model indicated that greater numbers of traumatic life events experienced by women were associated with raised odds of post-traumatic stress disorder risk (β = 1.48; p < 0.001). Another model indicated that exposure to sexual trauma events were associated with greater odds of post-traumatic stress disorder risk (β = 4.09; p = 0.02). Conclusion Our findings highlight the critical importance of mental health service for females with history of sexual traumatic events for this vulnerable population.

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Specific Trauma Subtypes Improve the Predictive Validity of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire in Iraqi Refugees

Cited by 40 publications

References 28 publications

Unemployment in Iraqi refugees: The interaction of pre and post‐displacement trauma

Unemployment in Iraqi refugees: The interaction of pre and post‐displacement trauma

Kidnapping and Mental Health in Iraqi Refugees: The Role of Resilience

Sexual trauma and post-traumatic stress among African female refugees and migrants in South Africa

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