PSY679B

Moore, B., & Penk, W. (2019). Treating PTSD in military personnel: A clinical handbook (2nd ed.). The Guilford Press.
Read Chapters 1, 14, 21, 23

Griffin, B. J., Purcell, N., Burkman, K., Litz, B. T., Bryan, C. J., Schmitz, M., Villierme, C., Walsh, J., & Maguen, S. (2019). Moral injury: An integrative review. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 32(3), 350–362.
This article reviews 116 relevant epidemiological and clinical studies, identifying biological, psychological, social, and religious sequelae. Some authors debate the response of moral injury to evidence-based treatments for PTSD, while others identify new treatment models.

Blackmore, R., Boyle, J. A., Fazel, M., Ranasinha, S., Gray, K. M., Fitzgerald, G., Misso, M., & Gibson-Helm, M. (2020). The prevalence of mental illness in refugees and asylum seekers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine, 17(9), e1003337–e1003337.
PTSD and depression prevalence persists post-displacement, emphasizing the need for ongoing mental health care for refugees and asylum seekers beyond initial resettlement.

Crocq, M.A., & Crocq, L. (2000, March). From shell shock and war neurosis to posttraumatic stress disorder: A history of psychotraumatology. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 2(1),47-55. doi: 10.31887/DCNS.2000.2.1/macrocq. PMID: 22033462; PMCID: PMC3181586.
The term posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has become a household name since its first appearance in 1980 in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-lll) published by the American Psychiatric Association. In the collective mind, this diagnosis is associated with the legacy of the Vietnam War disaster. Earlier conflicts had given birth to terms, such as “soldier's heart, ” “shell shock,” and “war neurosis.” The latter diagnosis was equivalent to the névrose de guerre and Kriegsneurose of French and German scientific literature. This article describes how the immediate and chronic consequences of psychological trauma made their way into medical literature, and how concepts of diagnosis and treatment evolved over time.

Murthy, R. S., & Lakshminarayana, R. (2006). Mental health consequences of war: a brief review of research findings. World psychiatry: Official Journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 5(1), 25–30.
Among the consequences of war, the impact on the mental health of the civilian population is one of the most significant. Studies of the general population show a definite increase in the incidence and prevalence of mental disorders. Women are more affected than men. Other vulnerable groups are children, the elderly, and the disabled. Prevalence rates are associated with the degree of trauma, and the availability of physical and emotional support. The use of cultural and religious coping strategies is frequent in developing countries.

Li SS, Liddell BJ, Nickerson A. The Relationship Between Post-Migration Stress and Psychological Disorders in Refugees and Asylum Seekers. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2016 Sep;18(9):82.
Refugees demonstrate high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological disorders. The recent increase in forcible displacement internationally necessitates the understanding of factors associated with refugee mental health.

Refugee Traumatic Stress and Recovery Processes: Clinical Considerations Developed by the Refugee Trauma and Recovery Program (RTRP) UNSW Sydney, in particular Dr. Belinda Liddell, Dr. Yulisha Byrow, Natalie Mastrogiovanni, and Isabelle Shaw
PTSD and Depression. Cumulative exposure to pre-migration and displacement-related trauma increases risk for psychological disorders like PTSD and depression in refugees. Estimates from refugee populations around the world report that the prevalence of PTSD and/or depression is one in three refugees, although there is a large range of prevalence rates reported across individual studies (<10% - > 90%). Complex and Compounding Stressors. It is critical to recognize that trauma exposure is not the only factor contributing to the psychological health of refugees. For example, postmigration stressors outlined earlier also adversely affect mental health in their own right while also exacerbating the impact of trauma exposure on psychological outcomes. Consequently, when refugees seek psychological support for past trauma, they are also likely to be experiencing other stressors that impact psychological functioning. For example, the primary stressor of a refugee client may not be intrusive memories relating to their past torture exposure, but rather that they have insecure housing, are separated from their children or are worried about finding a job to support their family. This has implications for the treatment and care of refugee clients, who may benefit from multi-modal support including access to practical support or social programs to address their immediate concerns and reduce distress.

William James Colloege.(2021). Moral injury in military and veteran populations | WJC military discussion [Series Ep. 3] [Video]. YouTube.
Jenny D'Olympia, PsyD, LMHC, director of military and veteran programs at William James College, and Kevin Lambert, Army veteran and WJC bachelor's student, presented this discussion on moral injury. This lecture served as an introduction to moral injury within military and veteran populations, the long-term effects of moral injury, and current empirically based treatment protocols.