The relationship between trauma, shame, and guilt: findings from a community-based study of refugee minors in Germany.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The relationships between traumatic stress and self-conscious emotions, such as shame and guilt, remain to be fully explored, especially in refugees, who frequently are exposed to a multitude of stressors.

Objective

The aim of the present study was to investigate shame and guilt in refugee minors and to assess to what extent a greater cumulative exposure to traumatic stressors would result not only in more severe posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms but also in higher levels of shame and guilt.

Methods

Thirty-two male refugee minors, who were all below the age of 18 when they sought asylum in Germany, agreed to participate. At the time of the assessment, the age ranged from 11 to 20 years. Eighteen refugees had arrived without relatives in their ho

SUBMITTER: Stotz SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4478074 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature