Posttraumatic Stress in Asylum Seekers from Chechnya, Afghanistan, and West Africa: Differential Findings Obtained by Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in Three Austrian Samples

Abstract

(from the preface) Walter Renner, Ingrid Salem, and Klaus Ottomeyer present a quantitative and qualitative study of asylum seekers for three different countries--Chechnya, Afghanistan, and West Africa. The aim of the study was to evaluate cultural differences in PTSD symptomatology using the Impact of Events Scale--Revised (IES-R), the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, and the Clinicians Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-1). Additionally, other measures were used to assess psychiatric symptoms beyond PTSD and for their purpose of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist--25, the Bradford Somatic Inventory and the Social Adaptation Self-Evaluation Scale were employed. Based on item scores but not total scores for the scales, discriminant analyzes correctly classified 92% of the participants. In the qualitative part of the study, clinical protocols were recorded and subjected to classification into five areas (1) factors that prevent or embrace symptoms; (2) factors identified as stressful; (3) symptoms related to PTSD; (4) personal and cultural views of the traumatic events reported; and (5) other outcomes. The results showed that the Chechnya group had more somatic symptoms and irritability. The West Africa group was distressed over being idle while seeking asylum. The Afghan group expected relief through education and training. The authors conclude that more studies of an empirical nature are necessary with a framework of culture-sensitive assessment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved) (preface)