Counseling torture survivors in contexts of ongoing threat: Narratives from sub-Saharan Africa.

Higson-Smith, Craig

doi:10.1037/a0032531

Cited by 17 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The first part was a quantitative and qualitative analysis of randomly selected case files documenting the mental health treatment of 85 torture survivors. The second was a qualitative analysis of semi-structured narrative interviews with 15 counselors and 14 torture surviving clients (see Table 1 (Higson-Smith, 2013;Higson-Smith, 2014;Higson-Smith & Eagle, 2017).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards a contextually appropriate framework to guide counseling of torture survivors in Sub-Saharan Africa

Higson-Smith

Eagle²

2018

Torture

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Introduction: If the right to rehabilitation is to become a meaningful reality for torture survivors in sub-Saharan Africa, it is necessary that counseling practice be responsive to the contextual and cultural demands of the region. Recent reviews of evidence-based practice with torture survivors are discussed with a focus on those approaches developed and/or tested with torture survivors in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: The results of a mixed methods study of ongoing torture rehabilitation work are reported. This study incorporated a review of 85 case files of torture survivors treated at torture rehabilitation centers in three countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and in depth interviews with fifteen counsellorsand fourteen clients at those same centers. Quantitative data are presented in tabular form supported by uni- and bi-variate statistical analyses as appropriate. Qualitative data are presented in terms of themes identified through emergent coding. Results and discussion: Help-seeking torture survivors in this region are a diverse and highly symptomatic group, often struggling to survive with their families in precarious circumstances and under ongoing threat. In addition to incorporating key aspects of existing evidence-based practice, counselorsalso use a range of psychosocial approaches to assist torture survivors to protect and support their families in the face of seemingly overwhelming life challenges. We propose that more systematic methodologies that facilitate the inclusion of the voicesof clients and clinicians in ongoing international debates relating to evidencebased practice with torture survivors will enhance the application of such practices in diverse contexts.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards a contextually appropriate framework to guide counseling of torture survivors in Sub-Saharan Africa

Higson-Smith

Eagle²

2018

Torture

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“…The psychological consequences of torture are often viewed in terms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) (Harlacher et al, 2016;Higson-Smith, 2013). Lesser acknowledged psychological consequences include cognitive impairment, decreased functioning, sleep disturbances, memory problems, attentional deficits and anger.…”

Section: S C I E N T I F I C a R T I C L Ementioning

confidence: 99%

“…These effects include the loss of "employment, status, family and identity" (Higson-Smith, 2013, p.165), separation from loved ones (Higson-Smith, 2013;Quiroga & Jaranson, 2005), the loss of functioning and safety, and loss of cultural and community connections (HigsonSmith, 2013).…”

Section: S C I E N T I F I C a R T I C L Ementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although the South African Constitution (Republic of South Africa, 1996) and the Refugee Act (Republic of South Africa, 1998) provide basic civil and political rights such as free basic healthcare, access to education and employment to refugees and asylum seekers regardless of nationality and legal status, in reality these constitutional rights may be denied Higson-Smith, 2013;Langa, 2013;Quiroga & Jaranson, 2005). Refugees and asylum seekers experience high levels of crime and violence, xenophobia and exploitation (Bandeira, Higson-Smith, Bantjes, & Polatin, 2010;Higson-Smith, 2013;Langa, 2013;Mohamed, Dix-Peek, & Kater, 2016), and the South African asylum-seeking process has been associated with inconvenience, cost and distress (Higson-Smith & Bro, 2010;Langa, 2013).…”

Section: Living In Contexts Of Continuing Threat and Daily Stressmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Refugees and asylum seekers experience high levels of crime and violence, xenophobia and exploitation (Bandeira, Higson-Smith, Bantjes, & Polatin, 2010;Higson-Smith, 2013;Langa, 2013;Mohamed, Dix-Peek, & Kater, 2016), and the South African asylum-seeking process has been associated with inconvenience, cost and distress (Higson-Smith & Bro, 2010;Langa, 2013). Continuing traumas threaten the survival of many refugees and asylum seekers through ongoing threats from the police, government officials and community members, and through domestic violence, sexual violence and xenophobia (Higson-Smith, 2013;Mohamed et al, 2016). Such traumas "may influence the way that survivors respond or adapt to their precarious circumstances, but it is the circumstances themselves that produce and maintain the client's psychological state" (Higson-Smith, 2013, p. 166).…”

Section: Living In Contexts Of Continuing Threat and Daily Stressmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluation of the efficacy of a South African psychosocial model for the rehabilitation of torture survivors

Dix-Peek

Werbeloff²

2018

Torture

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Introduction: To address the consequences of past torture experiences as well as current traumas and daily stressors, the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) developed a contextually appropriate psychosocial framework for the rehabilitation of individuals who have been affected by torture. Method: To test the efficacy of this framework, a quasiexperimental study was conducted with torture survivor clients of the CSVR who met the 1985 United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT) definition. A comparison group of clients (n=38) was initially included on a waiting list and thereafter received treatment, whilst the treatment group of clients (n=44) entered straight into treatment. Results: Baseline t-test comparisons conducted on 13 outcome indicators revealed significantly better initial psychological health and functioning of clients in the treatment group than those in the comparison group, with moderately large differences on PTSD, trauma and anxiety, and strong difference in depression scores. Three-month follow-up comparisons using the conservative Wilcoxon test revealed significantly greater improvement on the functioning and anxiety indicators of the treatment group relative to the waiting-list comparison group (odds ratios = 2.49 and 2.61 respectively). After a

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Self‐Efficacy of Counselors Working With Refugees

Isawi

Post

2020

Adultspan Journal

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Counselors have the ethical responsibility to meet the mental health needs of refugees who are forced to leave their home countries. This study examined factors influencing the self‐efficacy of counselors (N = 98) working with refugees. The results revealed a relationship between trauma training and secondary traumatic stress and counselor self‐efficacy. Implications for clinical practice and research are discussed.

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Counseling torture survivors in contexts of ongoing threat: Narratives from sub-Saharan Africa.

Cited by 17 publications

References 21 publications

Towards a contextually appropriate framework to guide counseling of torture survivors in Sub-Saharan Africa

Towards a contextually appropriate framework to guide counseling of torture survivors in Sub-Saharan Africa

Evaluation of the efficacy of a South African psychosocial model for the rehabilitation of torture survivors

Self‐Efficacy of Counselors Working With Refugees

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