Prevalence and co-existence of morbidity of posttraumatic stress and functional impairment among Burundian refugee children and their parents

Scharpf F, Kyaruzi E, Landolt MA, Hecker T. Prevalence and co-existence of morbidity of posttraumatic stress and functional impairment among Burundian refugee children and their parents. European Journal of Psychotraumatology. 2019;10(1): 1676005.Background: Although the family constitutes the prime source of risk and resilience for the well-being of children growing up in adverse conditions, the mental health of children living in refugee camps has rarely been investigated in conjunction with their parents’ mental health. Objectives: To examine the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health problems among Burundian refugee children and their parents living in Tanzanian refugee camps and to identify patterns of comorbidity among children and their parents based on PTSD symptom levels and functional impairment. Methods: We recruited a representative sample of 230 children aged 7–15 years and both of their parents (n = 690) and conducted separate structured clinical interviews. Latent Class Analysis was applied to identify patterns of comorbidity. Results: Children and parents were exposed to multiple traumatic event types. In total, 5.7% of children fulfilled DSM-5 criteria for PTSD in the past month and 10.9% reported enhanced levels of other mental health problems. 42.6% indicated clinically significant functional impairment due to PTSD symptoms. PTSD prevalence was higher among mothers (32.6%) and fathers (29.1%). Latent Class Analysis (LCA) revealed a familial accumulation of PTSD symptoms as children with high symptom levels and impairment were likely to live in families with two traumatized parents. Conclusions: Although the number of children who need support for trauma-related mental health problems was relatively low, taking into account parental trauma could aid to identify at-risk children with elevated PTSD symptom levels and impairment even in the face of existing barriers to mental health care access for children in refugee camp settings (e.g. lack of targeted services, prioritization of managing daily stressors)

No association between war-related trauma or PTSD symptom severity and epigenome-wide DNA methylation in Burundian refugees.

Background: War-related trauma is associated with varying posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence rates in refugees. In PTSD development, differential DNA methylation (DNAm) levels associated with trauma exposure might be involved in risk versus resilience processes. Studies investigating DNAm profiles related to trauma exposure and PTSD among refugees remain sparse.Objective: The present epigenome-wide association study investigated associations between war-related trauma, PTSD, and altered DNAm patterns in Burundian refugee families with 110 children and their 207 female and male caregivers.Method: War-related trauma load and PTSD symptom severity were assessed in structured clinical interviews with standardised instruments. Epigenome-wide DNAm levels were quantified from buccal epithelia using the Illumina EPIC beadchip.Results: Controlling for biological confounders, no significant epigenome-wide DNAm alterations associated with trauma exposure or PTSD were identified in children or caregivers (FDRs > .05). Co-methylated positions derived as modules from weighted gene correlation network analyses were not significantly associated with either war-related trauma experience in children or caregivers or with PTSD.Conclusions: These results do not provide evidence for altered DNAm patterns associated with exposure to war-related trauma or PTSD

Bamberger Federführer. Die besten Texte aus drei Jahren Literaturwettbewerb an der Universität Bamberg (2009-2011)

Im Kreise des Redaktions-Teams der studentischen Hochschulgruppe Feki.de entstand im November 2008 die Idee, einen Literaturwettbewerb an der Universität Bamberg zu etablieren. Das Projekt sollte es Studierenden aller Fachrichtungen ermöglichen, literarisch tätig zu werden und sich mit ihren Texten dem Urteil einer Jury bzw. der Leser zu stellen. Insgesamt drei Mal wurde der Wettbewerb durchgeführt: 2009 wurde die beste Kurzgeschichte zum Thema „Um 20 Uhr am Gabelmoo“ gesucht, im Jahr darauf lautete das Thema schlicht „fertig. Der letzte Wettbewerb stand schließlich unter dem Motto „Heimat“. Die Auswahl der Siegertexte übernahm eine Jury, bestehend aus Vertretern verschiedener Hochschulgruppen – Feki.de, Rezensöhnchen und Ottfried –, Prof. Dr. Andrea Bartl, Inhaberin der Professur für Neuere deutsche Literaturwissenschaft, dem Autor und Kritiker Rolf Bernhard Essig sowie wechselnd den Autoren Nora Gomringer, Kurt Kreiler und Nefvel Cumart. Daneben konnten die Feki.de-Leser über den jeweiligen Publikumspreisträger abstimmen. Neben den Studierenden der Universität Bamberg waren ab dem zweiten Jahr auch Teilnehmer der Schreibwerkstatt der JVA Ebrach eingeladen, ihre Texte einzu­senden. Im Vergleich mit den studentischen Texten boten die Beiträge der Gefangenen einen interessanten Perspektivwechsel für alle Teil­nehmer und Leser. Insgesamt 24 Kurzgeschichten aus den Jahren 2009 bis 2011 haben wir in diesem Band zusammengestellt. Neben den jeweiligen Siegertexten finden sich in der Anthologie auch die Beiträge der JVA-Bewohner zum Thema „fertig“, sowie ausgewählte Texte Studierender, die die Podestplätze nur knapp verfehlten

STAT3 regulated ARF expression suppresses prostate cancer metastasis.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most prevalent cancer in men. Hyperactive STAT3 is thought to be oncogenic in PCa. However, targeting of the IL-6/STAT3 axis in PCa patients has failed to provide therapeutic benefit. Here we show that genetic inactivation of Stat3 or IL-6 signalling in a Pten-deficient PCa mouse model accelerates cancer progression leading to metastasis. Mechanistically, we identify p19(ARF) as a direct Stat3 target. Loss of Stat3 signalling disrupts the ARF-Mdm2-p53 tumour suppressor axis bypassing senescence. Strikingly, we also identify STAT3 and CDKN2A mutations in primary human PCa. STAT3 and CDKN2A deletions co-occurred with high frequency in PCa metastases. In accordance, loss of STAT3 and p14(ARF) expression in patient tumours correlates with increased risk of disease recurrence and metastatic PCa. Thus, STAT3 and ARF may be prognostic markers to stratify high from low risk PCa patients. Our findings challenge the current discussion on therapeutic benefit or risk of IL-6/STAT3 inhibition.Lukas Kenner and Jan Pencik are supported by FWF, P26011 and the Genome Research-Austria project “Inflammobiota” grants. Helmut Dolznig is supported by the Herzfelder Family Foundation and the Niederösterr. Forschungs-und Bildungsges.m.b.H (nfb). Richard Moriggl is supported by grant SFB-F2807 and SFB-F4707 from the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), Ali Moazzami is supported by Infrastructure for biosciences-Strategic fund, SciLifeLab and Formas, Zoran Culig is supported by FWF, P24428, Athena Chalaris and Stefan Rose-John are supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Grant SFB 877, Project A1and the Cluster of Excellence --“Inflammation at Interfaces”). Work of the Aberger lab was supported by the Austrian Science Fund FWF (Projects P25629 and W1213), the European FP7 Marie-Curie Initial Training Network HEALING and the priority program Biosciences and Health of the Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg. Valeria Poli is supported by the Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC, No IG13009). Richard Kennedy and Steven Walker are supported by the McClay Foundation and the Movember Centre of Excellence (PC-UK and Movember). Gerda Egger is supported by FWF, P27616. Tim Malcolm and Suzanne Turner are supported by Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Nature Publishing Group via http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms873

A socio-ecological analysis of the mental health and adjustment of Burundian refugee children and adolescents

Scharpf F. A socio-ecological analysis of the mental health and adjustment of Burundian refugee children and adolescents. Bielefeld: Universität Bielefeld; 2021

We Are In This Together: Associations between Parental and Child Mental Health in Burundian Refugee Families Residing in Tanzanian Refugee Camps

Scharpf F, Hecker T. We Are In This Together: Associations between Parental and Child Mental Health in Burundian Refugee Families Residing in Tanzanian Refugee Camps. In: European Journal of Psychotraumatology. Vol 10. Abingdon: Taylor & Francis Ltd; 2019

Dynamics of School Violence

Network analyses of teachers’ violence, students’ experienced violence and mental health

The social legacies of conflict: The mediating role of mental health with regard to the association between war exposure and social capital of Burundian refugees.

Haer R, Scharpf F, Hecker T. The social legacies of conflict: The mediating role of mental health with regard to the association between war exposure and social capital of Burundian refugees. Psychology of Violence. 2020.Objective: There is an often-hypothesized link between war exposure and social capital. Empirical studies testing this linkage, however, show mixed results. One potential influential factor that might explain these mixed results is impaired mental health, which includes a number of symptoms and behaviors that are associated with impaired social interactions. Method: To examine the influence of mental health on the relationship between war exposure and social capital, we used a mediation framework. Data were collected from 460 Burundian refugees in three Tanzania refugee camps. Result: Our results showed an overall positive effect of war exposure on social capital. In addition, war exposure may increase mental health problems (posttraumatic stress symptoms and general psychological distress), which in turn was related to a decline in social capital. Conclusions: Policymakers and scholars examining the consequences of war and armed conflict should consider not only the direct effects of war exposure but also the indirect effect of mental health impairments. Treating trauma-related mental health problems may not only improve individual well-being but may also improve social capital, influencing the livelihoods of entire communities affected by armed conflict

The social legacies of conflict: The mediating role of mental health with regard to the association between war exposure and social capital of Burundian refugees.

Objective: There is an often-hypothesized link between war exposure and social capital. Empiricalstudies testing this linkage, however, show mixed results. One potential influential factor that mightexplain these mixed results is impaired mental health, which includes a number of symptoms andbehaviors that are associated with impaired social interactions. Method: To examine the influence ofmental health on the relationship between war exposure and social capital, we used a mediationframework. Data were collected from 460 Burundian refugees in three Tanzania refugee camps. Result:Our results showed an overall positive effect of war exposure on social capital. In addition, war exposuremay increase mental health problems (posttraumatic stress symptoms and general psychological distress),which in turn was related to a decline in social capital. Conclusions: Policymakers and scholarsexamining the consequences of war and armed conflict should consider not only the direct effects of warexposure but also the indirect effect of mental health impairments. Treating trauma-related mental healthproblems may not only improve individual well-being but may also improve social capital, influencingthe livelihoods of entire communities affected by armed conflict.Institutions, Decisions and Collective Behaviou

The executive functioning of Burundian refugee youth: Associations with individual, family and community factors

Scharpf F, Mueller SC, Hecker T. The executive functioning of Burundian refugee youth: Associations with individual, family and community factors. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. 2022;80: 101399