1. Nature of torture, PTSD, and somatic symptoms among political ex-prisoners.
- Author
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Punamäki RL, Qouta SR, and El Sarraj E
- Subjects
- Adult, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Middle East, Somatoform Disorders rehabilitation, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic rehabilitation, Stress, Psychological complications, Surveys and Questionnaires, Young Adult, Arabs psychology, Politics, Prisoners psychology, Somatoform Disorders diagnosis, Somatoform Disorders psychology, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic diagnosis, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic psychology, Torture psychology
- Abstract
The authors examined how different types of torture methods are associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and somatic symptoms among political ex-prisoners. Participants were 275 Palestinian men who reported their experiences in detention and imprisonment, PTSD (the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire), and somatic symptoms. A principal component analysis revealed physical torture, psychological torture, sensory discomfort and deprivation, and beatings as dimensions of exposure to torture. Both physical and psychological torture methods were associated with increased PTSD symptoms, especially when combined. Psychological torture was also associated with increased somatic symptoms. The results are discussed in relation to their contribution to the current debate on the nature and definition of torture.
- Published
- 2010
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