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August 3, 1994, Vol 272, No. 5 >
ARTICLE | August 3, 1994

Studying Torture Survivors: Title and subTitle BreakAn Emerging Field in Mental Health FREE

Evin Kantemir, MD
[+] Author Affiliations

Address correspondence to JAMA-Turkey, Turget Yayincilik ve Ticaret, AS, Kore Sehitleri Cad No. 50 Kat 4, Zincirlikuyu-Istanbul, Turkey 80300 (Dr Kantemir).


JAMA. 1994;272(5):400-401. doi:10.1001/jama.1994.03520050080035
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References

The United Nations General Assembly has defined torture as the intentional infliction of physical or mental suffering by agents of the state.1 According to an analysis2 of Amnesty International's 1992 report on human rights violations, systematic torture was practiced in about half of the countries in the world in 1991. Although the total number of states that ratified or acceded to the United Nation's Convention Against Torture1 increased to 71 during 1992, the overall situation regarding human rights violations including torture has not improved.3

Despite the recognition that torture is widespread in many parts of the world and may lead to serious physical and emotional problems, the subject received relatively little scientific attention until the last two decades.4 The increased interest in this issue may have been promoted partly by the growing population of political refugees in Western countries and the studies by health professionals involved

REFERENCES

1 +
United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment . Geneva, Switzerland: United Nations Center for Human Rights in Geneva; entered into force June 26, 1987;. United Nations document A/39/51.
2 +
Başoğlu M.  Prevention of torture and care of survivors: an integrated approach. JAMA . 1993;;270:606-611.
3 +
Amnesty International. Amnesty International Report 1993 . London, England: Amnesty International Publications; 1993;.
4 +
Goldfeld AE, Mollica RF, Pesavento BH, Faraone SV.  The physical and psychological sequelae of torture: symptomatology and diagnosis. JAMA . 1988;;259:2725-2729.
5 +
Rasmussen OV, Lunde I.  Evaluation of the investigation of 200 torture victims. Danish Med Bull . 1980;;27:241-243.
6 +
Allodi F, Cowgill G.  Ethical and psychiatric aspects of torture: a Canadian study. Can J Psychiatry . 1982;;27:98-102.
7 +
American Psychiatric Association, Committee on Nomenclature and Statistics. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition . Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 1980;:236-238.
8 +
Finn S, Vesti P, Kastrop M, Genefke IK.  Psycho-social consequences of torture: current knowledge and evidence.  In: Başoğlu M, ed. Torture and Its Consequences: Current Treatment Approaches . London, England: Cambridge University Press; 1992;:56-71.
9 +
Turner S, Goest-Unsworth C.  Psychological sequelae of torture: a descriptive model. Br J Psychiatry . 1990;;157:475-480.
10 +
Melamed BG, Melamed JL, Bouhoutsos JC.  Psychological consequences of torture: a need to formulate new strategies for research.  In: Suedfeld P, ed. Psychology and Torture . Washington, DC: Hemisphere Publishing Corp; 1990;:13-30.
11 +
Turner S, Van Velsen C.  Victims of torture. Br J Hosp Med . 1990;;44:345-346.
12 +
Brett EA, Spitzer RL, Williams JBW.  DSM-III-R criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder. Am J Psychiatry . 1988;;145:1232-1236.
13 +
American Psychiatric Association, Committee on Nomenclature and Statistics. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition . Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 1987;:247-251.
14 +
Helzer JE, Robins LN, McEvoy L.  Posttraumatic stress disorder in the general population: findings of the epidemiologic catchment area survey. N Engl J Med . 1987;;317:1630-1634.
15 +
Davidson J.  Issues in the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder.  In: Riba MB, Tasman A, eds. American Psychiatric Press Review of Psychiatry . Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press; 1993;;12:141-155.
16 +
Loughrey G.  Posttraumatic stress disorder. Curr Opin Psychiatry . 1992;;5:245-248.
17 +
O'Donohue W, Elliot A.  The current status of posttraumatic stress disorder as a diagnostic category: problems and proposals. J Trauma Stress . 1992;;5:421-439.
18 +
Friedman MJ.  Biological approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. J Trauma Stress . 1991;;4:67-91.
19 +
Herman JL.  Complex PTSD: a syndrome in survivors of prolonged and repeated trauma. J Trauma Stress . 1992;;5:377-391.
20 +
Marsella AJ, Friedman MJ, Spain EH.  Ethnocultural aspects of posttraumatic stress disorder.  In: Oldham JM, Riba MB, Tasman A, eds. American Psychiatric Press Review of Psychiatry . Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press; 1993;;12:157-181.
21 +
Mollica R, Caspi-Yavin Y, Bollini P, et al.  The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire: validating a cross-cultural instrument for measuring torture, trauma, and PTSD in Indochinese refugees. J Nerv Ment Dis . 1992;;180:111-116.
22 +
Başoğlu M, Paker M, Özmen E, Taşdemir O, Şahin D.  Factors related to long-term traumatic stress responses in survivors of torture in Turkey. JAMA . 1994;;272:357-363.
23 +
Başoğlu M, Paker M, Paker O, et al.  Psychological effects of torture: a comparison of tortured with matched, nontortured political activists in Turkey. Am J Psychiatry . 1994;;151:76-81.
24 +
Akhan O, HRFT Medical Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers. Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Treatment Centers 1990-1992 Report . Ankara, Turkey: Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Publications; 1993;.
25 +
Keane TM, Scott WO, Chavoya GA, Lamparski DM, Fairbank JA.  Social support in Vietnam veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: a comparative analysis. J Consul Clin Psychol . 1985;;53:95-102.
26 +
Petersen HD.  The controlled study of torture victims: epidemiological considerations and some future aspects. Scan J Soc Med . 1989;;1:13-20.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

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1 +
United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment . Geneva, Switzerland: United Nations Center for Human Rights in Geneva; entered into force June 26, 1987;. United Nations document A/39/51.
2 +
Başoğlu M.  Prevention of torture and care of survivors: an integrated approach. JAMA . 1993;;270:606-611.
3 +
Amnesty International. Amnesty International Report 1993 . London, England: Amnesty International Publications; 1993;.
4 +
Goldfeld AE, Mollica RF, Pesavento BH, Faraone SV.  The physical and psychological sequelae of torture: symptomatology and diagnosis. JAMA . 1988;;259:2725-2729.
5 +
Rasmussen OV, Lunde I.  Evaluation of the investigation of 200 torture victims. Danish Med Bull . 1980;;27:241-243.
6 +
Allodi F, Cowgill G.  Ethical and psychiatric aspects of torture: a Canadian study. Can J Psychiatry . 1982;;27:98-102.
7 +
American Psychiatric Association, Committee on Nomenclature and Statistics. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition . Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 1980;:236-238.
8 +
Finn S, Vesti P, Kastrop M, Genefke IK.  Psycho-social consequences of torture: current knowledge and evidence.  In: Başoğlu M, ed. Torture and Its Consequences: Current Treatment Approaches . London, England: Cambridge University Press; 1992;:56-71.
9 +
Turner S, Goest-Unsworth C.  Psychological sequelae of torture: a descriptive model. Br J Psychiatry . 1990;;157:475-480.
10 +
Melamed BG, Melamed JL, Bouhoutsos JC.  Psychological consequences of torture: a need to formulate new strategies for research.  In: Suedfeld P, ed. Psychology and Torture . Washington, DC: Hemisphere Publishing Corp; 1990;:13-30.
11 +
Turner S, Van Velsen C.  Victims of torture. Br J Hosp Med . 1990;;44:345-346.
12 +
Brett EA, Spitzer RL, Williams JBW.  DSM-III-R criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder. Am J Psychiatry . 1988;;145:1232-1236.
13 +
American Psychiatric Association, Committee on Nomenclature and Statistics. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition . Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 1987;:247-251.
14 +
Helzer JE, Robins LN, McEvoy L.  Posttraumatic stress disorder in the general population: findings of the epidemiologic catchment area survey. N Engl J Med . 1987;;317:1630-1634.
15 +
Davidson J.  Issues in the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder.  In: Riba MB, Tasman A, eds. American Psychiatric Press Review of Psychiatry . Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press; 1993;;12:141-155.
16 +
Loughrey G.  Posttraumatic stress disorder. Curr Opin Psychiatry . 1992;;5:245-248.
17 +
O'Donohue W, Elliot A.  The current status of posttraumatic stress disorder as a diagnostic category: problems and proposals. J Trauma Stress . 1992;;5:421-439.
18 +
Friedman MJ.  Biological approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. J Trauma Stress . 1991;;4:67-91.
19 +
Herman JL.  Complex PTSD: a syndrome in survivors of prolonged and repeated trauma. J Trauma Stress . 1992;;5:377-391.
20 +
Marsella AJ, Friedman MJ, Spain EH.  Ethnocultural aspects of posttraumatic stress disorder.  In: Oldham JM, Riba MB, Tasman A, eds. American Psychiatric Press Review of Psychiatry . Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press; 1993;;12:157-181.
21 +
Mollica R, Caspi-Yavin Y, Bollini P, et al.  The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire: validating a cross-cultural instrument for measuring torture, trauma, and PTSD in Indochinese refugees. J Nerv Ment Dis . 1992;;180:111-116.
22 +
Başoğlu M, Paker M, Özmen E, Taşdemir O, Şahin D.  Factors related to long-term traumatic stress responses in survivors of torture in Turkey. JAMA . 1994;;272:357-363.
23 +
Başoğlu M, Paker M, Paker O, et al.  Psychological effects of torture: a comparison of tortured with matched, nontortured political activists in Turkey. Am J Psychiatry . 1994;;151:76-81.
24 +
Akhan O, HRFT Medical Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers. Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Treatment Centers 1990-1992 Report . Ankara, Turkey: Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Publications; 1993;.
25 +
Keane TM, Scott WO, Chavoya GA, Lamparski DM, Fairbank JA.  Social support in Vietnam veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: a comparative analysis. J Consul Clin Psychol . 1985;;53:95-102.
26 +
Petersen HD.  The controlled study of torture victims: epidemiological considerations and some future aspects. Scan J Soc Med . 1989;;1:13-20.

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