Abstract
From 1975 to 1979, one to two million Cambodians were executed or died of disease and starvation during the rule of the Pol Pot government. In the aftermath of that catastrophe, many survivors have developed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. There is some evidence that the intrusive symptoms of this disorder, such as nightmares, sleep disorders, and startle reactions, can be treated with medication. But other psychological problems that are similar to those found in chronic grief, such as avoidance behavior, shame, and decreased involvement with other individuals, are more resistive to treatment. On a cross-cultural level, the interpretations of, or meanings given to, specific symptoms by the patient may be influenced by culturally-specific religious beliefs, rituals, and social traditions. For the clinician, these cultural factors have relevance not only for engaging the patient in treatment, but also in the planning of specific therapeutic interventions.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 765-772 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Social Science and Medicine |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1987 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Cambodia
- grief
- refugees
- trauma
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Economics and Econometrics
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Social Psychology
- Development
- Health(social science)
Cite this
Clinical relevance of grief and mourning among Cambodian refugees. / Boehnlein, James.
In: Social Science and Medicine, Vol. 25, No. 7, 1987, p. 765-772.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical relevance of grief and mourning among Cambodian refugees
AU - Boehnlein, James
PY - 1987
Y1 - 1987
N2 - From 1975 to 1979, one to two million Cambodians were executed or died of disease and starvation during the rule of the Pol Pot government. In the aftermath of that catastrophe, many survivors have developed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. There is some evidence that the intrusive symptoms of this disorder, such as nightmares, sleep disorders, and startle reactions, can be treated with medication. But other psychological problems that are similar to those found in chronic grief, such as avoidance behavior, shame, and decreased involvement with other individuals, are more resistive to treatment. On a cross-cultural level, the interpretations of, or meanings given to, specific symptoms by the patient may be influenced by culturally-specific religious beliefs, rituals, and social traditions. For the clinician, these cultural factors have relevance not only for engaging the patient in treatment, but also in the planning of specific therapeutic interventions.
AB - From 1975 to 1979, one to two million Cambodians were executed or died of disease and starvation during the rule of the Pol Pot government. In the aftermath of that catastrophe, many survivors have developed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. There is some evidence that the intrusive symptoms of this disorder, such as nightmares, sleep disorders, and startle reactions, can be treated with medication. But other psychological problems that are similar to those found in chronic grief, such as avoidance behavior, shame, and decreased involvement with other individuals, are more resistive to treatment. On a cross-cultural level, the interpretations of, or meanings given to, specific symptoms by the patient may be influenced by culturally-specific religious beliefs, rituals, and social traditions. For the clinician, these cultural factors have relevance not only for engaging the patient in treatment, but also in the planning of specific therapeutic interventions.
KW - Cambodia
KW - grief
KW - refugees
KW - trauma
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0023083302&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0023083302&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0277-9536(87)90034-7
DO - 10.1016/0277-9536(87)90034-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 3686107
AN - SCOPUS:0023083302
VL - 25
SP - 765
EP - 772
JO - Social Science and Medicine
JF - Social Science and Medicine
SN - 0277-9536
IS - 7
ER -