We conducted a systematic review of literature reporting on the prevalence of assessment measures, treatments, and biomarkers used in the diagnosis and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Iraqi, Kurdish, and Syrian refugees. We performed a search of medical, psychological, and sociological databases on all relevant literature published between January 2011 and March 2016. Seventeen manuscripts met the study inclusion criteria. On the basis of the findings, authors advocate the use of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25), and Post Migrational Living Difficulties (PMLD) to exclude PTSD noncases and the Clinically Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) for diagnosis of PTSD in Iraqi, Kurdish, and Syrian refugees in Canada. They further suggest Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) as the psychological treatment currently with the strongest evidence base in this population. Finally, we advocate continued research into biomarkers as a means of improving and objectifying psychological assessment and treatment of PTSD in Canadian refugee populations.
Bringing refugees from crisis to flourishing: The role of resettlement agencies and the church in facilitating integration and stability
Refugee resettlement in recent months has become an issue of intense debate in the United States. An issue that was once viewed as a humanitarian one has now taken on political significance. It has become a commonly discussed subject in public circles and one that requires an opinion regarding its good or evil. Despite these…