TRAUMA AND MIGRATION. CULTURAL FACTORS IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF TRAUMATISED IMMIGRANTS

Table of contents (16 chapter)
1.Introduction: The Relevance of Trauma Among Immigrants
2.Rethinking Trauma as a Global Challenge
3.The Epidemiology of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: A Focus on Refugee and Immigrant Populations
4.Cross-Cultural Communication with Traumatised Immigrants
5.Trauma and Migration: The Role of Stigma
6.Migration, Trauma and Resilience
7.Clinical Diagnosis of Traumatised Immigrants
8.Special Problems in the Assessment of Psychological Sequelae of Torture and Incarceration
9.Gender and Trauma
10.Exposure to Trauma and Forced Migration: Mental Health and Acculturation Patterns Among Asylum Seekers in Israel
11.Cultural Competence in Trauma
12.Intercultural Trauma-Centred Psychotherapy and the Application of the EMDR Method
13.Resilience-Oriented Treatment of Traumatised Asylum Seekers and Refugees
14.Traumatised Immigrants in an Outpatient Clinic: An Experience-Based Report
15.Psychotherapy with Immigrants and Refugees from Crisis Zones
16.A Therapy Model for Traumatised Refugees in Denmark

This book provides an overview of recent trends in the management of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorders that may ensue from distressing experiences associated with the process of migration. Although the symptoms induced by trauma are common to all cultures, their specific meaning and the strategies used to deal with them may be culture-specific. Consequently, cultural factors can play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with psychological reactions to extreme stress. This role is examined in detail, with an emphasis on the need for therapists to bear in mind that different cultures often have different concepts of health and disease and that cross-cultural communication is therefore essential in ensuring effective care of the immigrant patient. The therapist’s own intercultural skills are highlighted as being an important factor in the success of any treatment and specific care contexts and the global perspective are also discussed.