The war in the Middle East has forced millions of Syrians and Iraqi to leave their homes. A large percentage of these populations suffer from severe traumatizations due to their horrifying experiences. How does this refugee crisis provide a magnifying lens for the current challenges of mental health systems in both poor and rich countries? And in the increasingly hostile environments of the host countries, how can treatment such as Narrative Exposure Therapy contribute to the recovery and integration of displaced persons?
Presented by UNSW Grand Challenges program
Professor Frank Neuner is head of Clinical Psychology at Bielefeld University including the University outpatient clinic. He has gained an international reputation for the development of Narrative Exposure Therapy, a short-term mental health intervention for traumatic stress. He has published the first randomized treatment trial for post-traumatic stress disorder with refugees living in a war region. This was followed by multiple, highly published RCTs from his research group. His expertise is epidemiology, etiology and treatment of severe trauma-associated psychological disorders following repeated intense adversities like war and child abuse. His current research looks at the consequences of child maltreatment, and the relationship between trauma resulting from war and family violence from a developmental perspective.
