Allden K., Poole C., Chantavanich S., Aung N.N., Mollica R.F. (1996). American Journal of Public Health, 86(11): 1561-1569.
This study, of Burmese who fled to Thailand following a prodemocracy uprising, assessed the self-reported mental health, physical health, and social functioning of young adult political exiles and relates their psychiatric symptoms to their trauma and survival strategies. 38% reported that they had experienced torture. Many reported poor health and lack of social supports, but few reported substantial social disability. The prevalence of elevated symptom scores was 38% for depressive symptoms and 23% for criterion symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. Symptoms of avoidance and of increased arousal were the most strongly related to cumulative trauma. Two survival strategies, camaraderie and a Buddhist concept of self-confidence (weria), were associated with somewhat reduced levels of both classes of symptoms.
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