The subjective experience of trauma and subsequent PTSD in a sample of undocumented immigrants.
Although a subjective component of trauma is commonly recognized in diagnosing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there are few studies that specifically address Criterion A2, and none addressing this issue among undocumented immigrants. We assessed 212 arriving undocumented immigrants with diverse trauma histories to investigate concordance between objective and subjective factors of trauma (Criteria A1 and A2) and across different types of trauma and PTSD. Concordance between Criteria A1 and A2 varied, with highest rates found for political violence. Interpersonal violence in general was associated with higher rates of PTSD. We identified a dose-response effect for PTSD, but this was not dependent on other events (i.e., other doses) meeting Criterion A2. Discussion focuses on Criterion A within the phenomenology of PTSD and the need to gauge subjective interpretations of trauma events among this population.
Rasmussen
Andrew
A
New York University School of Medicine, Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
Rosenfeld
Barry
B
Reeves
Kim
K
Keller
Allen S
AS
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D034462:Dissent and Disputes; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence