De rol van cultuur in het omgaan met psychotrauma The role of culture in coping with psychotrauma

The role of culture in coping with psychotrauma In this paper, the theme of the special issue on Culture and Trauma is introduced. In both empirically oriented articles as well as theoretical and contemplative contributions, the role of culture and migration context in the development of psychological problems following trauma, culture-specific or generic coping with the consequences, help-seeking behavior, and the need for culturally sensitive treatment is explored. First, the influence of the migration context is considered with regard to the possible sickening role of the asylum procedure, the burden for immigrant women who have undergone female genital mutilation and now live in a society that seriously condemns it, and the dilemma of Islamic migrants who experience homosexual feelings while living in a secularized society. Following are some contributions on cultural diversity in the expression of trauma symptoms, like somatization among refugees and the articulation of rage and embitterment among labor migrants. The impact of trauma in combination with migration on families and how children can be affected by the traumatization of their parents is the topic of two contributions in which the role of the (extended) family is explored and a contextual approach to working with families with trauma-related symptoms (a mentalization based multifamily therapy) is described. The factors that impede therapyseeking behaviour and drop-out are discussed in a study on Moroccan or Turkish girls who were raped. Finally, the applicability and efficacy of evidence-based interventions for treating ethnic minority patients with posttraumatic stress disorder is illustrated by a study on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing with refugees and an article on specific elements of intercultural trauma therapy that appear to be culturally sensitive.

Journal

Dutch

Jeroen Knipscheer
Henriet van Middendorp
Rolf Kleber

Knipscheer, J., van Middendorp, H., & Kleber, R. (2011, August). [The role of culture in coping with psychotrauma]. Psychologie & Gezondheid, 39(3), 125-131. doi:10.1007/s12483-011-0026-4. Dutch