Top

Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health

Published in:

01-02-2009 | Original Paper

The Effectiveness of Psychotherapy with Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Preliminary Results from an Austrian Study

Author: Walter Renner

Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health | Issue 1/2009

Abstract

An Austrian Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) offered psychotherapy to 37 asylum seekers and refugees (21 of them female) with a mean age of 36.1 years (s = 7.5), with the majority of them from Chechnya or Afghanistan. Comparative data between the start of therapy and the time of evaluation revealed a highly significant positive effect (d = 0.77), while most therapies were still going on. By a retrospective measure of perceived change, 85% of the participants reported significant improvements. The results show that even under difficult conditions, when working with asylum seekers and refugees, psychotherapy can be effective.

Ministry of the Interior. Asylstatistik 2006 [Asylum statistics]. 2007. http://www.bmi.gv.at/downloadarea/asyl_fremdenwesen_statistik/AsylJahr2006.pdf. Retrieved June 15, 2007.

Renner W, Salem I, Ottomeyer K. Cross-cultural validation of psychometric measures of trauma in groups of asylum seekers from Chechnya, Afghanistan and West Africa. Soc Behav Personal 2006;35(5):1101–14.CrossRef

Renner W, Salem I, Ottomeyer K. Posttraumatic stress in asylum seekers from Chechnya, Afghanistan and West Africa – Differential findings obtained by quantitative and qualitative methods in three Austrian samples. In: Wilson JP, Tang C, editors. The cross-cultural assessment of psychological trauma and PTSD. New York: Springer; 2007. p. 239–78.

Buljan D, Vrcek D, Cekic-Arambasin A, Karlovic D, Zoricic Z, Golik-Gruber V. Posttraumatic stress disorder, alcohol dependence, and somatic disorders in displaced persons. Alcoholism 2002;38(1–2):35–40.

Turner SW, Bowie C, Dunn G, Shapo L, Yule W. Mental health of Kosovan Albanian refugees in the UK. Brit J Psychiatr 2003;182:444–8.CrossRef

Porter M, Haslam N. Predisplacement and postdisplacement factors associated with mental health of refugees and internally displaced persons. J Am Med Assoc 2005;294:602–12.CrossRef

Marsella AJ, Dubanoski J, Hamada WC, Morse H. The measurement of personality across cultures. Historical, conceptual, and methodological issues and considerations. Am Behav Sci 2000;44:41–62.CrossRef

Mezzich JE, Kleinman A, Fabrega H, Parron DL. editors. Culture and psychiatric diagnosis: a DSM-IV perspective. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press; 1996.

Ehlers A. Posttraumatische Belastungsstörung [Post-traumatic stress disorder]. Göttingen: Hogrefe; 1999.

10.

Franke GH. Brief symptom inventory von L. R. Derogatis (Kurzform der SCL-90-R) – Deutsche Version. Göttingen: Beltz; 2000.

11.

Franke GH. SCL-90-R. Die Symptom-Checkliste von Derogatis – Deutsche Version. Göttingen: Beltz; 1995.

12.

Hüttenbrenner E. Diagnostische Verfahren zur Identifizierung eines psychologischen Traumas bei Asylwerbern und Asylwerberinnen unter Berücksichtigung des kulturellen Aspekts [Diagnostic methods for the assessment of psychological trauma in asylum seekers with special consideration of cultural aspects]. Diploma thesis, University of Klagenfurt; 2004.

13.

Zielke M, Kopf-Mehnert C. Veränderungsfragebogen des Erlebens und Verhaltens [Questionnaire of change in experience and behavior]. Göttingen: Beltz; 1978.

14.

Zielke M, Kopf-Mehnert C. Der VEV-R-2001: Entwicklung und testtheoretische Reanalyse der revidierten Form des Veränderungsfragebogens des Erlebens und Verhaltens (VEV) [Development, test theory and re-analysis of the revised form of the questionnaire of change in experience and behavior]. Praxis Klinische Verhaltensmedizin und Rehabilitation 2001;53:7–19.

15.

Shalev AY, Friedman MJ, Foa EB, Keane TM. Integration and summary. In: Foa EB, Keane TM, Friedman MJ, editors. Effective treatments for PTSD. Practice guidelines from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. New York: Guilford; 2000.

16.

Jacobson NS, Follette WC, Revenstorf D. Toward a standard definition of clinically significant change. Behav Ther 1984;15:309–11.CrossRef

17.

Jacobson NS, Truax P. Clinical significance: a statistical approach to defining meaningful change in psychotherapy research. J Consult Clin Psychol 1991;59:12–9.PubMedCrossRef

Title: The Effectiveness of Psychotherapy with Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Preliminary Results from an Austrian Study
Author: Walter Renner
Publication date: 01-02-2009
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health / Issue 1/2009
Print ISSN: 1557-1912
Electronic ISSN: 1557-1920
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-007-9095-1

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

The Effectiveness of Psychotherapy with Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Preliminary Results from an Austrian Study

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2009

Deportation Along the U.S.–Mexico Border: Its Relation to Drug Use Patterns and Accessing Care

Association Between Anxiety and Smoking in a Sample of Urban Black Men

From Isolation to Connection: Understanding a Support Group for Hispanic Women Living with Gender-based Violence in Houston, Texas

Mental Health Needs of Visible Minority Immigrants in a Small Urban Center: Recommendations for Policy Makers and Service Providers

Depressive Symptoms and Diabetes Control in African Americans

Changes in Perceived Health and Depressive Symptoms: A Longitudinal Analysis with Older Korean Americans