PTSD And Other Health Consequences Of Exposure To Trauma

描述(由申请人提供)：这项研究将突出两个中心因素，这两个因素在我们对从政治暴力，特别是酷刑到不同心理健康结果的途径的理解中没有得到充分的解决。首先，对控制的肯定评价，例如通过宗教和政治意义，假设是为了减少创伤后精神疾病的发病率。第二，神经内分泌活动，特别是低皮质醇水平，被认为与创伤幸存者的创伤后应激障碍(PTSD)症状呈负相关。这项研究是对尼泊尔酷刑幸存者的前瞻性纵向调查，跟踪调查了18个月。100名酷刑幸存者和50名对照组参与者将接受创伤后应激障碍症状、可控性评估、身体健康和唾液皮质醇水平的评估。归根结底，这项研究对于预防和干预受政治暴力影响的美国人、逃离政治暴力的外国出生的美国人以及有地方性政治暴力的人群的心理健康后遗症具有相关性。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This research will highlight two central factors inadequately addressed in our understanding of the pathway from political violence, specifically torture, to differential mental health outcomes. First, the affirmative appraisal of control, such as through religious and political meaning, is hypothesized to reduce posttraumatic psychiatric morbidity. Second, neuroendocrine activity, specifically low cortisol levels, is hypothesized to associate inversely with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among trauma survivors. This study is a prospective longitudinal investigation of torture survivors in Nepal followed over an eighteen month period. One hundred torture survivors and fifty control participants will be assessed for PTSD symptoms, appraisal of controllability, physical health, and salivary cortisol levels. Ultimately, this research has relevance to prevention and intervention for mental health sequelae for Americans affected by poltical violence, foreign-born Americans who have fled political violence, and populations with endemic political violence.