Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation for Refugees Integrated With Narrative Exposure Therapy: A Case Study on the Treatment of PTSD and Emotion Dysregulation for Refugees and Asylum-Seekers

Avalon Tissue, Philippa Specker, Joel Hoffman, Shivani Uppal, Marylene Cloitre, Frank Neuner, Meaghan O’Donnell, Angela Nickerson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in individuals affected by war and conflict is high, with approximately 1 in 3 refugees and asylum-seekers meeting diagnostic criteria for PTSD. PTSD in refugees and asylum-seekers is associated with significant emotion dysregulation which may arise from chronic trauma exposure and post-migration stressors and lead to impaired day-to-day functioning. There is evidence that treatments that target emotion regulation skills prior to implementing exposure-based therapies lead to improved treatment response and reduced attrition in survivors of interpersonal traumas such as sexual abuse. The current case study details the use of a novel adaptation of one such treatment – Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation for refugees and asylum-seekers (STAIR-R). In this case study, we report on the implementation of STAIR-R in combination with Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) with Sara, a 60-year-old Iraqi woman who presented with high levels of nightmares, avoidance and emotion dysregulation following exposure to war- and conflict-related trauma and post-migration stressors. In this case study, we explore the intersection of emotion regulation skills training (in STAIR-R) and exposure therapy (in NET), and the potential for this combined intervention to improve emotion regulation skills, enhance coping with post-migration stressors and facilitate engagement with exposure-based treatment for PTSD.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)285-306
Number of pages22
JournalClinical Case Studies
Volume22
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2023

Keywords

  • emotion dysregulation
  • Narrative Exposure Therapy
  • post-traumatic stress disorder
  • refugees and asylum-seekers
  • skills training

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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