Depression and PTSD in Pashtun Women in Kandahar, Afghanistan

ObjectivesThe objectives were (a) to establish prevalence of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Afghanistan and, (b) to investigate sociodemographic and quality of life variables, which predict depression and PTSD.MethodsTranslated versions of the Beck Depression Inventory, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, and Quality of Life Inventory were administered to 125 Pashtun women in Kandahar, and statistically analyzed.ResultsApproximately half of the participants showed moderate to severe levels of depression, and more than half of the participants exhibited symptoms of PTSD. Education and income showed significant associations with PTSD symptoms or depression. The way one spends time, general health status, and general feeling towards life predicted low levels of depression and PTSD.ConclusionsThe high prevalence of depression and PTSD indicate the continuing need for mental health intervention. While education has been found to be a protective factor for mental health in previous studies, the relationship between education and mental health appear to be more complex among Afghan women. Quality of life variables could be further investigated and incorporated into mental health interventions for Afghan women

Roles of Perseverance and Meaning-Focused Coping in the Relationship Between Acculturative Stress and Subjective Well-Being for East Asian International Students

A growing body of research has indicated the challenges and difficulties international students face including but not limited to language barriers, academic struggles, social isolation, discrimination, and psychological distress. Among international students, East Asian international students represent a large subgroup and report higher acculturative stress and struggles due to their deep and complex cultural and language differences from the U.S. culture, compared to students from other areas. Using Tweed and Conway’s (2006) framework, the current research examined a model to understand the roles of culturally relevant coping strategies (e.g., perseverance, meaning-focused coping) and acculturative stress in explaining well-being (e.g., life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, and peace of mind) among 200 East Asian international students. The results indicated that acculturative stress was a strong predictor of all well-being variables, perseverance was a predictor of well-being except for negative affect, and meaning-focused coping was a predictor of life satisfaction and positive affect. Tests of indirect effects revealed that perseverance partially mediates the relationship between acculturative stress and positive affect and peace of mind. The results also suggested that meaning-focused coping does not mediate the relationships between acculturative stress and well-being variables. The discussion addresses limitations of the study, suggestions for future research, and implications for literature and counseling psychology practice for East Asian international students