Vietnamese refugees with PTSD symptomatology: Intervention via a coping skills model

Abstract

Abstract The current study of Vietnamese refugee students revealed that the majority had experienced multiple traumatic events and reported moderate to severe PTSD symptomatology. A stress intervention module (SIT), designed to treat rape victims, was introduced to determine its efficacy for the treatment of Vietnamese refugees with PTSD symptoms. Postintervention PTSD symptomatology was significantly reduced contrasted to virtually no change in symptomatology for the control subjects. Serious methodological concerns, e.g., selection bias, sample size, are highlighted in the paper. The current inquiry is essentially a pilot study. The paper is intended for heuristic value. Clinical literature is extant for culturally sensitive intervention approaches for this vulnerable population.