A Biopsychosocial Approach to Treating Trauma in Survivors of Human Rights Violations: A Systematic Review

open_access
Open Access
Author:
Kaur, Bipanpreet
Area of Honors:
Biobehavioral Health
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Danielle Rhubart, Thesis Supervisor
Kari Christine Kugler, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
Human Rights Violations
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Biopsychosocial Framework
Systematic review
International research
Abstract:
Human rights violations impact millions of individuals across the globe, often targeting the most vulnerable populations and exposing them to severe physical and psychological trauma. This trauma results in the development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a complex phenomenon that has far-reaching biological, psychological, and social causes and consequences. Given the complexity and severity of the trauma that results from human rights violations, identifying effective treatment approaches is essential for long-term recovery in survivors. This study takes a biopsychosocial approach to evaluate the effectiveness of PTSD treatment methods specifically for individuals exposed to severe human rights violations. A systematic review was conducted using the PubMed database, in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A total of 32 studies were included in this review. The findings identify trauma-focused psychotherapies, particularly Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), as the most effective psychological interventions for reducing PTSD symptom severity in this population. In addition, this review finds that because human rights violations are inherently a biopsychosocial phenomenon, treatment interventions that target multiple biopsychosocial domains may more adequately address the complex trauma associated with human rights violations. Overall, the findings emphasize the need for further research that examines multidisciplinary treatment models for PTSD in the world’s most vulnerable individuals.