Multidisciplinary treatment for traumatized refugees in a naturalistic setting: symptom courses and predictors. (24th November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Stammel, Nadine; Knaevelsrud, Christine; Schock, Katrin; Walther, Lena C. S.; Wenk-Ansohn, Mechthild; Böttche, Maria
• Is Part Of: European journal of psychotraumatology. Volume 8(2017)Supplement 2
• Publication Date: 2017-11-24
• Subjects: Multimodal -- refugees -- trauma -- PTSD -- quality of life -- therapy -- treatment -- torture -- mental health -- transcultural; multimodal -- refugiados -- Trauma -- TEPT -- calidad de vida -- terapia -- tratamiento -- tortura -- salud mental -- transcultural; 多模式 -- 难民 -- 创伤 -- PTSD -- 生活质量 -- 疗法 -- 治疗 -- 折磨 -- 精神健康 -- 交叉文化; The current study investigated multidisciplinary treatment for traumatized refugees conducted at a specialized centre for traumatized refugees and torture victims. The results suggest that the patients benefitted from treatment in terms of improvements of trauma-related symptoms and quality of life. None of the investigated sociodemographic variables (gender, age, country of origin) significantly predicted the course of the symptoms during treatment, except for somatoform symptoms (younger participants responded better to treatment than older ones).; Post-traumatic stress disorder -- Periodicals; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Periodicals; Fulltext; Internet Resources; Periodicals; 616.8521
• DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2017.1377552
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2000-8198

Abstract

ABSTRACT: 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.