Interpreter-mediated neuropsychological assessment: Clinical considerations and recommendations from the European Consortium on Cross-Cultural Neuropsychology (ECCroN).

Objective: With increasing international migration, societies have become increasingly diverse worldwide. Although neuropsychological assessment is influenced by several diversity characteristics, language barriers have repeatedly been identified as one of the main challenges to cross-cultural neuropsychological assessment in migrant populations. Importantly, neuropsychologists are often required to conduct interpreter-mediated neuropsychological assessments without any graduate training or continuing education on the topic.

How is trauma-focused therapy experienced by adults with PTSD? A systematic review of qualitative studies.

Background: Trauma-focused therapies (TFTs) are first-line treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, TFTs are under-utilised, partly due to clinicians' and patients' fear that TFT is too challenging or harmful. We review the qualitative studies on how adults with PTSD experience TFTs to enhance the understanding of user perspectives, therapeutic processes, and outcomes.

What Are the Characteristics of Torture Victims in Recently Arrived Refugees? A Cross-Sectional Study of Newly Arrived Refugees in Aarhus, Denmark.

Torture victims live with complex health conditions. It is essential for the rehabilitation of torture survivors that their traumas are recognized at an early stage. The aim of this study was to investigate (i) the prevalence of reported torture exposure, (ii) the association between demographic characteristics and exposure to torture, and (iii) the association between PTSD and exposure to torture among recently arrived refugees in Aarhus, Denmark.

Are migrants diagnosed with a trauma-related disorder at risk of premature mortality? A register-based cohort study in Denmark.

Background: Mental illness is common among refugees displaced by conflict and war. While evidence points to the relatively good health in terms of longevity of migrants resettled in the destination country, less is known about the mortality of the most vulnerable migrants with a trauma-related diagnosis alone and those with an additional comorbid psychotic disorder. This study aimed to provide an overview of the number and mortality of foreign-born individuals diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or Enduring Personality Change after a Catastrophic Event (PTSD/EPCACE), a psychotic disorder or both.

Relations between PTSD symptom clusters and pain in three trauma-exposed samples with pain.

Objectives: Little is known about how the individual PTSD symptom clusters relate to intensity and interference of pain and whether these relationships differ across clinical groups. The present study examines relations between PTSD symptom clusters and pain in three trauma-exposed, unique clinical groups: 1) adults seeking treatment for chronic pain with current symptoms of PTSD, 2) trauma affected refugees seeking treatment for PTSD and chronic pain; and 3) individuals identified at admission to the emergency ward after whiplash injury.

Methods: Network analysis was used to assess unique relations between pain intensity, pain interference, re-experiencing, avoidance, numbing, hyperarousal, depression, and anxiety separately in each sample.

Cross-cultural validity and psychometric properties of the International Trauma Questionnaire in a clinical refugee sample.

The ICD-11 post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD diagnoses have been examined in several studies using the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ). The cross-cultural validity of the ITQ has not previously been studied using item responses theory methods focused on the issue of equal item functioning and thus comparability of scores across language groups. To investigate the cross-cultural validity of the ITQ scales considering specifically local independence of items and differential item functioning (DIF) in a cross-cultural sample of refugees.

Adverse childhood experiences among children of parents who are refugees affected by trauma in Denmark: a register-based cohort study.

Background: Children in families who are refugees might experience more adversities than their peers. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are well known risk factors for poorer adulthood health and adjustment. The risk of ACEs for children with a parent who is a refugee affected by trauma is unknown.

Posttraumatic stress and depression among women in Kenya's informal settlements: risk and protective factors.

: Approximately 56% of Kenya´s population resides in informal settlements (UN-Habitat, 2016). Female residents experience a range of psychosocial stressors including chronic poverty and high rates of interpersonal violence. Despite evidence that this population has some of the worst physical health outcomes in the country (APHRC, 2014), few studies have evaluated their mental health status and its correlates.

Perception, practice and proximity. Qualifying threats as psychological torture in international law.

Background: International law prohibits threats made by state officials when amounting to torture or other forms of ill-treatment (hereafter "ill-treatment"). Yet, there remains a pressing need to better distinguish in practice the threatening acts which amount to torture or illtreatment (and as prohibited) from acts which fall short. Responding to this need, this article reviews the literature and offers a discussion towards functionally conceptualising and, in turn, qualifying threats as torture or ill-treatment.

Twenty seven years of treating survivors of torture and organized violence - associations between torture, gender and ethnic minority status among refugees referred for treatment of PTSD.

: Victims of torture and organized violence are among the most vulnerable refugees. The nature of torture promotes shame, secrecy and silencing of the survivors, and there is a need for studies to provide a testimony to the experiences of survivors. : To contribute to the global knowledge base by exploring the nature and frequency of different types of torture as reported by survivors and to explore potential associations between basic sociodemographic variables and the likelihood of reporting different kinds of torture and of attending treatment for PTSD.

The treatment of mental illness in faith-based and traditional healing centres in Ghana: perspectives of service users and healers.

Background: The maltreatment of people with mental illness in Ghana's traditional and faith-based healing centres, including shackling, flogging, and forced fasting, has been documented by numerous sources. Such treatment is potentially traumatising and may exacerbate mental health problems. Despite widespread use, few studies have focused on experiences and characteristics of people who seek traditional healing for mental illness or healers' perspectives treatment of these conditions.

Prevalence of torture and trauma history among immigrants in primary care in Denmark: do general practitioners ask?

Background: Torture survivors typically present with varied and complex symptoms, which may challenge assessment by general practitioners (GPs). This study explored the prevalence of torture and trauma history among immigrants born in non-Western countries presenting to GPs in Denmark and the extent to which GPs ask this population about torture or trauma history.

Methods: Based on a self-reported questionnaire among non-western immigrant patients, we used bivariate analyses to determine the prevalence of torture and trauma history and the proportion of patients being asked by their GP about this.

Risk of psychiatric diagnoses in children and adolescents of parents with torture trauma and war trauma.

Objective: Evidence point to intergenerational effects of trauma in refugee populations. This study estimates the risk of psychiatric diagnoses in children of severely traumatized refugees. The unique clinical sample consisted of refugee parents treated for torture trauma and war trauma, and outcomes were investigated using population-level data.

Pre-treatment pain predicts outcomes in multimodal treatment for tortured and traumatized refugees: a pilot investigation.

: Chronic pain is a common comorbid complaint in traumatized refugees seeking treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. However, the effect of comorbid pain on treatment remains under investigated. : To investigate whether pre-treatment pain (severity/interference) predicts outcomes in a multimodal treatment targeting PTSD, depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, and health-related disability in refugees exposed to torture and organized violence.

Torture and torture practices in Tanzania: Knowledge, attitudes and practice among medical professionals.

Introduction: Medical professionals have a key role in addressing torture and need an awareness and knowledge of torture in relation to rehabilitation approaches, prevention and international standards. This study was undertaken with the aim of assessing the current knowledge, attitudes and practices of medical professionals in Tanzania, creating a baseline for possible future interventions.

Methods: Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected.

Protocol on Medico-Legal Documentation of Sleep Deprivation.

This Protocol originates from a joint project regarding documentation of psychological torture initiated by the Public Committee against Torture in Israel (PCATI), REDRESS and DIGNITY - Danish Institute Against Torture (DIGNITY) in 2015 after the Copenhagen Conference on Psychological Torture. The project is a vehicle to establish a common understanding between health and legal professions as to how to best ensure the most accurate documentation of torture. Historically, sleep deprivation has been used for different objectives but, primarily, to cause stress and duress for the purpose of extracting information and confessions.

Development of interdisciplinary protocols on medico-legal documentation of torture: Sleep deprivation.

Background: The use of psychological torture or torture methods that leave no visible marks (stealth torture) is on the increase in various contexts. However, the difficulties in the documentation of such methods should be recognized by lawyers and health professionals who may benefit from using research-based interdisciplinary instruments to improve their documentation for legal processes - in addition to the United Nations Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1999) (Istanbul Protocol).

Objective: With the aim to develop additional instruments for the documentation of various psychological torture methods, this article explains the recommended methodology for such research-based interdisciplinary instruments and the process of developing the first example of this approach relating to sleep deprivation.

"Befogging reason, undermining will: Understanding the prohibition of sleep deprivation as torture and ill-treatment in international law.

Background: Sleep deprivation is a prevalent method of psychological torture. However, difficulties in documentation have meant that it is not adequately appreciated by courts and other quasijudicial institutions such as UN treaty bodies.

Method: This paper aims to review the legal literature on deprivation of sleep, the definition, and prohibition of torture and ill-treatment, and its health impacts.

Quality of prison life, violence and mental health in Dubrava prison.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the association between the quality of prison life and mental health among prisoners and the occurrence of violence.

Design/methodology/approach: In total, 203 prisoners from Dubrava Correctional Center in Kosovo participated. Data on background characteristics of the prisoners, quality of prison life, mental health symptoms and exposure to physical, psychological and sexual violence were collected through interviewer-administered questionnaires.

The Istanbul Protocol: A global stakeholder survey on past experiences, current practices and additional norm setting.

Introduction: The Istanbul Protocol (IP) principles and guidelines have served as international norms for the effective investigation and documentation of torture and ill-treatment since 1999. Given the widespread use of the IP and recent calls to update or enhance its norms, we conducted a large-scale study among stakeholders to understand current practices as well as opinions on additional IP norm setting.

Methods: Between February 20, 2017 and April 7, 2017, we conducted an online survey of IP users using a combination of criterion and chain sampling.

Is silence about trauma harmful for children? Transgenerational communication in Palestinian families.

Style of family communication is considered important in the transgenerational transmission of trauma. This study had three aims: first, to identify the contents of family communication about past national trauma; second, to examine how parents' current war trauma is associated with transgenerational communication; and third, to analyze the associations between transgenerational communication and children's mental health, measured as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and psychological distress. The study sample consisted of 170 Palestinian families in Gaza Strip, in which both mothers (n = 170) and fathers (n = 170) participated, each with their 11-13-year-old child.