Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Kidnapping And Mental Health In Iraqi Refugees: The Role Of Resilience, A. Michelle Wright, Yousif R. Talia, Abir Aldhalimi, Carissa L. Broadbridge, Hikmet Jamil, Mark A. Lumley, Nnamdi Pole, Bengt B. Arnetz, Judith E. Arnetz

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Although kidnapping is common in war-torn countries, there is little research examining its psychological effects. Iraqi refugees (N = 298) were assessed upon arrival to the U.S. and 1 year later. At arrival, refugees were asked about prior trauma exposure, including kidnapping. One year later refugees were assessed for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression disorder (MDD) using the SCID-I. Individual resilience and narratives of the kidnapping were also assessed. Twenty-six refugees (9 %) reported being kidnapped. Compared to those not kidnapped, those who were had a higher prevalence of PTSD, but not MDD, diagnoses. Analyses examining kidnapping victims …