Posttraumatic Stress in Asylum Seekers from Chechnya, Afghanistan, and West Africa: Differential Findings Obtained by Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in Three Austrian Samples

In the present chapter, we will give an account of the culture-specific facets of traumatic stress and of posttraumatic symptomatology in their respective societal contexts as they have been reported by asylum seekers belonging to different ethnic groups. We also intend to highlight the multiple and culture-dependent strain, asylum seekers are suffering from while trying to adjust to a foreign society and while being left in uncertainty about being granted asylum. We will also examine the pathogenetic impact that societies can have on individuals as well as the differential coping styles, resulting from divergent evaluations of traumatic events by people stemming from various parts of the world. From these findings, we will derive recommendations for diagnosing posttraumatic stress and for developing culturally sensitive treatment concepts when dealing with asylum seekers and refugees from non-Western societies. Special emphasis will be laid on differences between the three cultures under consideration.