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Psychological responses to war and atrocity: The limitations of current concepts

Author

Listed:
  • Bracken, Patrick J.
  • Giller, Joan E.
  • Summerfield, Derek

Abstract

Because of the prevalence of wars, political violence and other forms of mandashmade disaster in Third World countries many individuals and communities suffer prolonged and often multiple traumas. In Western psychiatry certain conceptions of the response to violence and trauma have been developed, including the widely used category of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We argue that because concepts such as PTSD implicitly endorse a Western ontology and value system, their use in nondashWestern groups should be, atmost, tentative.

Suggested Citation

  • Bracken, Patrick J. & Giller, Joan E. & Summerfield, Derek, 1995. "Psychological responses to war and atrocity: The limitations of current concepts," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 40(8), pages 1073-1082, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:40:y:1995:i:8:p:1073-1082
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    Cited by:

    1. Katsonga-Phiri, Tiamo & Lewis, Jarrett T. & Murray, Maxwell & DuBois, David L. & Grant, Kathryn E., 2021. "Mental health interventions for African children: A meta-analytic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    2. Giordano, F. & Ragnoli, F. & Brajda Bruno, F. & Boerchi, D., 2019. "Testing Assisted Resilience Approach Therapy (ARAT) with children victims of violence," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 286-293.
    3. Miller, Kenneth E. & Rasmussen, Andrew, 2010. "War exposure, daily stressors, and mental health in conflict and post-conflict settings: Bridging the divide between trauma-focused and psychosocial frameworks," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(1), pages 7-16, January.
    4. Batniji, Rajaie & Van Ommeren, Mark & Saraceno, Benedetto, 2006. "Mental and social health in disasters: Relating qualitative social science research and the Sphere standard," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(8), pages 1853-1864, April.
    5. Budden, Ashwin, 2009. "The role of shame in posttraumatic stress disorder: A proposal for a socio-emotional model for DSM-V," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(7), pages 1032-1039, October.
    6. Flora Cohen, 2023. "Cultural idioms of distress among displaced populations: A scoping review," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 69(1), pages 5-13, February.
    7. Tol, Wietse A. & Kohrt, Brandon A. & Jordans, Mark J.D. & Thapa, Suraj B. & Pettigrew, Judith & Upadhaya, Nawaraj & de Jong, Joop T.V.M., 2010. "Political violence and mental health: A multi-disciplinary review of the literature on Nepal," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(1), pages 35-44, January.
    8. Judith Zur, 1996. "From PTSD to Voices in Context: From an "Experience-Far" to an "Experience-Near" Understanding of Responses to War and Atrocity Across Cultures," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 42(4), pages 305-317, December.
    9. Lynne Briggs & A. D. (Sandy) Macleod, 2006. "Demoralisation - A Useful Conceptualisation of Non-Specific Psychological Distress Among Refugees Attending Mental Health Services," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 52(6), pages 512-524, November.
    10. Barber, Brian K. & McNeely, Clea & Olsen, Joseph A. & Belli, Robert F. & Doty, Samuel Benjamin, 2016. "Long-term exposure to political violence: The particular injury of persistent humiliation," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 154-166.
    11. Zenker, Olaf, 2010. "Between the lines: Republicanism, dissenters and the politics of meta-trauma in the Northern Irish conflict," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(2), pages 236-243, July.
    12. Rasmussen, Andrew & Keatley, Eva & Joscelyne, Amy, 2014. "Posttraumatic stress in emergency settings outside North America and Europe: A review of the emic literature," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 44-54.
    13. Kienzler, Hanna, 2008. "Debating war-trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in an interdisciplinary arena," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 218-227, July.
    14. Darío Díaz & Maria Stavraki & Amalio Blanco & Miriam Bajo, 2018. "11-M Victims 3 Years After Madrid Terrorist Attacks: Looking for Health Beyond Trauma," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 663-675, March.

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