The Relations of Traumatic Life Events with Depression, Loneliness, Anxiety, Posttraumatic Growth, and Pain in Refugee University Students

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the rate of traumatic experiences and the relationship between traumas and anxiety, loneliness, depression, posttraumatic growth and pain, in refugee university students. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted at the Gaziantep University between September 2017 and September 2018. UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) Loneliness Scale, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Traumatic Events Checklist (T.E.C) were used for assessment purposes. Results: A total of 71 students were included in our study. There was a positive correlation between UCLA and BDI, T.E.C and a negative correlation between UCLA and PTGE. There was a positive correlation between BDI and BAI, T.E.C. A negative correlation was determined between PTGE and BDI and also T.E.C. A significant and positive correlation was observed between duration of pain felt during a day and T.E.C, BDI, and a negative correlation between duration of pain and PTGE. Conclusion: Excessive traumatic experiences were positively related with depression and negatively related with traumatic growth. The duration of pain felt during a day was positively related with the excess of depressive symptoms and traumatic events, however there was no relationship between the presence of pain/localization of pain and assessment scales.