Family support and wisdom aids recovery from war trauma.
American researchers examined posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, wisdom and resilience among Iraqi Chaldean refugee high school students in Detroit, USA. There were 98 students who completed a survey; 14 of whom also took part in an interview, while 16 also took part in a focus group. The students were found to have low levels of posttraumatic stress, which the researchers interpreted as being due to their being relieved from the war zone and having started to dream of their future. The researchers measured different aspects of wisdom. The higher the students’ level of reflective wisdom, that is, their willingness to look at their situation from multiple perspectives, the less likely they were to suffer from posttraumatic stress and the higher level of resilience they showed. The qualitative data suggested that while some students might be experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder, many students were focused on their future rather than recalling their past. Family support played a critical part in their overcoming war trauma and building their resilience.
https://doi.org/10.1037/pac0000520
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