Cognitive abilities related to post-traumatic symptoms among refugees from the former Yugoslavia in psychiatric treatment.
The overall aim was to study the relationship between post-traumatic symptoms and cognitive abilities among traumatized refugees from the former Yugoslavia, in psychiatric treatment. The results showed that a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as a higher level of post-traumatic symptoms, was significantly associated with poorer average cognitive performance. Three of four tests of fluid intelligence, and the Benton Visual Retention Test, assessing episodic memory, were the most discriminating. A specific constellation of PTSD symptoms, dominated by arousal and intrusive symptoms, had a significant overall correlation with intellectual performance. One implication of the study is that assessment of cognitive abilities might be advisable in this patient group, in particular when arousal and re-experiencing symptoms are frequent.
Kivling-Bodén
Gunilla
G
Department of Psychology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden. gunilla.kivling.boden@swipnet.se
Sundbom
Elisabet
E
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology*; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D013548:Sweden; D014857:Warfare; D015022:Yugoslavia / Q000208:ethnology