Post-traumatic Stress Reaction and Internally Displaced Persons

Abstract

The concept of involuntary displacement inside the country is growing day by day. Globally, researchers have suggested that due to prolonged internal displacement the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) usually suffer from mental health issues. The current study was carried out with the purpose of investigating the psychosocial reactions of trauma in IDPs, who were subjected to displacement due to the military operation in the region, with no concurrent aim of diagnosing them with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It was a cross-sectional study and 104 (M= 31.20, SD=9.32) IDPs were sampled for it. Post-traumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS) was administered on IDPs. The findings revealed that around 17% of them showed severe symptoms. The women were at more risk for PTSD as compared to men. Although no significant differences were found in both genders when it was about impairment in daily life functioning and both were equally affected. The satisfaction of life was decreased; too, on many symptoms results were significant. It was revealed that symptom severity decreased when the duration of displacement increased. The results were described according to cultural manifestation.