Work

A longitudinal study of mental health in refugees from Burma: The impact of therapeutic interventions

Year: 2012

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The present study seeks to examine the impact of therapeutic interventions for people from refugee backgrounds within a naturalistic setting. METHODS: Sixty-two refugees from Burma were assessed soon after arriving in Australia. All participants received standard interventions provided by a resettlement organisation which included therapeutic interventions, assessment, social assistance, and referrals where appropriate. At the completion of service provision a follow-up assessment was conducted. RESULTS: Over the course of the intervention, participants experienced a significant decrease in symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and somatisation. Pre-intervention symptoms predicted symptoms post-intervention for post-traumatic stress, anxiety and somatisation. Post-migration living difficulties, the number of traumas experienced, and the number of contacts with the service agency were unrelated to all mental health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In the first Australian study of its kind, reductions in mental health symptoms post-intervention were significantly linked to pre-intervention symptomatology and the number of therapy sessions predicted post-intervention symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Future studies need to include larger samples and control groups to verify findings.

Source: Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry

DOI: 10.1177/0004867412443059

Authors: Sierra van Wyk, Robert Schweitzer, Mark Brough, Lyn Vromans, Kate Murray

Institutions: Queensland University of Technology, San Diego State University, University of California San Diego

Language: English

Topic: Migration, Health and Trauma

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Cancer Institute