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Nature of torture, PTSD, and somatic symptoms among political ex-prisoners

✍ Scribed by Raija-Leena Punamäki; Samir R. Qouta; Eyad El Sarraj

Book ID
102443696
Publisher
Springer
Year
2010
Tongue
English
Weight
78 KB
Volume
23
Category
Article
ISSN
0894-9867

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✦ Synopsis

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.

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Experiences of torture and ill-treatment
Experiences of torture and ill-treatment and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among Palestinian political prisoners
✍ Eyad El Sarraj; Raija-Leena Punamäki; Suhail Salmi; Derek Summer-field 📂 Article 📅 1996 🏛 Springer 🌐 English ⚖ 594 KB

The relationship between the nature and severity of aperiences of torture and ill-treatment and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms was studied in 550 male nonhelp-seeking Palestinian political ex-prisoners from the Gaza Strip. Results showed that the more a prisoner had been erposed to ph