School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Zurich University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Psychiatry Res. 2018 Jun;264:143-150. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.03.055. Epub 2018 Mar 23.
Torture is associated with greater psychopathology, however, the specific mechanisms underlying the effects of torture remain unclear. Research suggests that the perceived uncontrollable nature of, rather than the exposure to, torture, influences the development of psychological disorders. Perceived distress during torture has also been shown to influence psychological outcomes. This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between perceived torture controllability, emotions (i.e., anger and fear) during torture, and current posttraumatic stress (PTS), depression and anger symptoms, controlling for the effects of post-migration living difficulties. Data were collected from 108 refugees and asylum seekers in treatment at two psychiatric clinics in Zurich, Switzerland. Path analyses revealed negative correlations between PTS, depression and anger symptoms, and perceived torture controllability, and positive correlations with anger and fear during torture. Furthermore, the effects of perceived torture controllability on PTS and depression symptoms were mediated by fear during torture, and on anger symptoms via anger during torture. This was over and above the effects of post-migration living difficulties on psychological symptoms. The study provides preliminary evidence that perceived uncontrollability and distress during torture might be significant risk factors for current mental health of torture survivors. These findings may have implications for informing interventions for torture survivors.
酷刑与更多的精神病理学有关，然而，酷刑影响的具体机制仍不清楚。研究表明，人们认为酷刑是不可控制的，而不是暴露于酷刑，这会影响心理障碍的发展。在酷刑中感受到的痛苦也会影响心理结果。这项横断面研究探讨了感知到的酷刑可控性、在酷刑期间的情绪（即愤怒和恐惧）与当前创伤后应激（PTS）、抑郁和愤怒症状之间的关系，同时控制了移民后生活困难的影响。数据来自瑞士苏黎世两家精神病诊所治疗的 108 名难民和寻求庇护者。路径分析显示，PTS、抑郁和愤怒症状与感知到的酷刑可控性呈负相关，与在酷刑中感受到的愤怒和恐惧呈正相关。此外，在酷刑中感受到的恐惧会中介感知到的酷刑可控性对 PTS 和抑郁症状的影响，而在酷刑中感受到的愤怒会通过在酷刑中感受到的愤怒来影响愤怒症状。这超出了移民后生活困难对心理症状的影响。这项研究提供了初步证据，表明在酷刑中感到无法控制和痛苦可能是酷刑幸存者当前心理健康的重要风险因素。这些发现可能对为酷刑幸存者提供干预措施具有启示意义。
