Research on Social Work Practice, 22(1), January 2012, pp.29-42.
Publisher:
Sage
... in peer-reviewed journals since the year 2000. A total of eight studies were found to report results with 482 diverse participants, including Sri Lankan children, Rwandan orphans, adult African refugees, and elderly Romanian prisoners. Findings revealed that NET produced a significant decrease in PTSD as compared to other treatments, waiting list, or treatment as usual interventions. Study strengths include
Narrative exposure therapy (NET) is a short-term intervention for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in survivors of mass violence and torture. This research review explored the efficacy of NET in survivors who have often suffered multiple traumas over several years. Inclusion criteria included English-language randomised control trials which measured PTSD outcomes and were published in peer-reviewed journals since the year 2000. A total of eight studies were found to report results with 482 diverse participants, including Sri Lankan children, Rwandan orphans, adult African refugees, and elderly Romanian prisoners. Findings revealed that NET produced a significant decrease in PTSD as compared to other treatments, waiting list, or treatment as usual interventions. Study strengths include treatment fidelity, use of standard measures, and experimental design. Overall, evidence supported the use of NET. However, the author concluded that evidence could be increased using larger trials, independent researchers, and further attention to blinding. Implications for practice are discussed.
Subject terms:
mental health, post traumatic stress disorder, refugees, survivors, torture;
Community Development Journal, 45(1), January 2010, pp.90-110.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Despite an increase in community development initiatives in refugee emergency and resettlement contexts, there remains a lack of best practice guidelines and evaluation frameworks to assess the effectiveness of interventions in the recovery of refugee communities. This paper discusses both the processes and outcomes of developing a community evaluation framework. This framework was developed in consultation with refugee client groups and staff in the Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT) to ensure that the terminology, goals and objectives captured the perspective of participants in future community development processes. Examples of the framework are presented. It covers all the stages of planning, implementing and evaluating community development programmes with survivors of torture and trauma. The authors believe that this evaluation framework has provided FASSTT agencies with a shared understanding of the outcomes community development aims to achieve in this context.
Despite an increase in community development initiatives in refugee emergency and resettlement contexts, there remains a lack of best practice guidelines and evaluation frameworks to assess the effectiveness of interventions in the recovery of refugee communities. This paper discusses both the processes and outcomes of developing a community evaluation framework. This framework was developed in consultation with refugee client groups and staff in the Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT) to ensure that the terminology, goals and objectives captured the perspective of participants in future community development processes. Examples of the framework are presented. It covers all the stages of planning, implementing and evaluating community development programmes with survivors of torture and trauma. The authors believe that this evaluation framework has provided FASSTT agencies with a shared understanding of the outcomes community development aims to achieve in this context.
Subject terms:
refugees, social programmes, traumas, torture, user participation, community development, evaluation;
This book is to help counsellors and psychotherapists understand and engage with the experiences of persecution, violence and exile often faced by refugees. The author's framework is based on work carried out at the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture. It offers a flexible approach to the special circumstances of displaced and traumatized clients from different cultural
This book is to help counsellors and psychotherapists understand and engage with the experiences of persecution, violence and exile often faced by refugees. The author's framework is based on work carried out at the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture. It offers a flexible approach to the special circumstances of displaced and traumatized clients from different cultural and political backgrounds. The author considers four levels of experience - political, cultural, interpersonal and intrapsychic - and explores each of these in relation to both the client and therapist. He also includes practical information on advocacy, supervision and working with interpreters.
Families in Society, 85(3), July 2004, pp.291-300,.
Publisher:
The Alliance for Children and Families
Discusses the worldwide extent of torture, on which little information is found in professional literature though social work provides services to refugees and immigrants, the groups most likely to have been tortured. Reviews the prevalence of torture survivors in the USA and discusses populations most at risk and the effects of torture. The heart of the article discusses treatment considerations
Discusses the worldwide extent of torture, on which little information is found in professional literature though social work provides services to refugees and immigrants, the groups most likely to have been tortured. Reviews the prevalence of torture survivors in the USA and discusses populations most at risk and the effects of torture. The heart of the article discusses treatment considerations and resources for social workers involved with survivors, working with whom requires knowledge about human rights violations; symptoms identification and reluctance to reveal this part of their past; community context and treatment environments; skills in healing trauma; advocacy; and brokering necessary medical, mental health, legal and social services.
Subject terms:
immigrants, human rights, refugees, social work, treatment, therapy and treatment, torture;
This report reveals Home Office asylum decisions based on inaccurate and out-of-date country information, unreasoned decisions about people's credibility and a failure to properly consider complex torture cases. Government figures show that the Home Office gets the initial decision wrong on nearly 14,000 asylum cases in the last reported calendar year (2002), meaning around 1in 5 cases are overturned after costly appeals.
This report reveals Home Office asylum decisions based on inaccurate and out-of-date country information, unreasoned decisions about people's credibility and a failure to properly consider complex torture cases. Government figures show that the Home Office gets the initial decision wrong on nearly 14,000 asylum cases in the last reported calendar year (2002), meaning around 1in 5 cases are overturned after costly appeals.
The death of Firsat Yildiz in Glasgow has highlighted the problems facing asylum seekers as they try to make a new life in a foreign country. This article tells the story of a Kurdish refugee fleeing from torture and his battle with depression and loneliness.
The death of Firsat Yildiz in Glasgow has highlighted the problems facing asylum seekers as they try to make a new life in a foreign country. This article tells the story of a Kurdish refugee fleeing from torture and his battle with depression and loneliness.
Subject terms:
refugees, risk, self-harm, torture, assessment, community mental health services, depression;
International Social Work, 41(2), April 1998, pp.211-226.
Publisher:
Sage
Discusses how although the number of tortured refugees is increasing globally, so far social work has paid little attention to this high-risk population. Through interviews and a review of the literature, this article examines the validation of refugees who have experienced torture. Working with this population requires social work to reintegrate practice and policy at three levels: international, national and local. Practice implications derived in this article are the need for a wider, clearer focus on person-in-situation, a more creative utilisation of resources and a higher degree of trust in inductive and intuitive methods of intervention when dealing with tortured refugees.
Discusses how although the number of tortured refugees is increasing globally, so far social work has paid little attention to this high-risk population. Through interviews and a review of the literature, this article examines the validation of refugees who have experienced torture. Working with this population requires social work to reintegrate practice and policy at three levels: international, national and local. Practice implications derived in this article are the need for a wider, clearer focus on person-in-situation, a more creative utilisation of resources and a higher degree of trust in inductive and intuitive methods of intervention when dealing with tortured refugees.
Subject terms:
literature reviews, post traumatic stress disorder, refugees, social work methods, torture, war, crime victims;
Looks at how torture victims seeking asylum in Britain face further anguish as a result of legislation withdrawing their entitlement to benefits. Interviews a survivor from Sudan.
Looks at how torture victims seeking asylum in Britain face further anguish as a result of legislation withdrawing their entitlement to benefits. Interviews a survivor from Sudan.
Many people who have been tortured hide their mental and physical scars. This article looks at the work of agencies who help, and discusses how nurses can become involved.
Many people who have been tortured hide their mental and physical scars. This article looks at the work of agencies who help, and discusses how nurses can become involved.
Subject terms:
mental health, nurses, refugees, social care provision, torture, crime victims, health care;
Journal of Family Therapy, 17(4), November 1995, pp.397-409.
Publisher:
Wiley
Describes work with families who have been subjected to torture and atrocity and forced into political exile. Exile is described as a state of limbo which may be resolved by involving families in rituals which reconnect them to communal life. Therapeutic dilemmas when working with families affected by torture and atrocity are discussed. The culture of refugee families is a resource which can be used to enable them to integrate experiences of atrocity and adapt to life in exile. Therapeutic strategies are discussed through case histories.
Describes work with families who have been subjected to torture and atrocity and forced into political exile. Exile is described as a state of limbo which may be resolved by involving families in rituals which reconnect them to communal life. Therapeutic dilemmas when working with families affected by torture and atrocity are discussed. The culture of refugee families is a resource which can be used to enable them to integrate experiences of atrocity and adapt to life in exile. Therapeutic strategies are discussed through case histories.
Subject terms:
rehabilitation, refugees, torture, counselling, families, family therapy;