Abstract
Objective: High numbers of adolescents today are exposed to conflict-related trauma, with trauma-exposure being associated with adverse biopsychosocial outcomes. Here we investigated the influence of traumaexposure and high levels of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms on cognitive functioning in trauma-related compared to neutral contexts. Method: Afghan adolescent refugees with high levels of PTSD symptomatology and non-trauma-exposed Afghan adolescent refugee controls (N = 47; 43% female; aged 13-19 years, M = 15.49, SD = 1.40) completed a visual working memory task including affective (trauma-related) and neutral distractors. Results: Working memory capacity in the context of trauma-related distractors (and not neutral distractors) was significantly poorer in trauma-exposed refugees with high levels of PTSD when compared to non-trauma-exposed controls. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of investigating posttraumatic cognitive functioning within affective contexts and suggest that affective working memory capacity may constitute a promising target for intervention.
Original language | English |
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Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Accepted/In press - 2020 |
Keywords
- Adolescents
- Posttraumatic stress disorder
- Refugee
- Visual working memory capacity