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. 2020 Jan 13;11(1):1701226.
doi: 10.1080/20008198.2019.1701226. eCollection 2020.

Commemoration of disruptive events: a scoping review about posttraumatic stress reactions and related factors

Huibertha B Mitima-Verloop  1   2 , Paul A Boelen  1   2 , Trudy T M Mooren  1   2
Affiliations

Commemoration of disruptive events: a scoping review about posttraumatic stress reactions and related factors

Huibertha B Mitima-Verloop et al. Eur J Psychotraumatol. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish, Chinese

Collective commemoration in response to war or disaster is widespread across time and cultures. It is assumed to support those affected by the disruptive event to cope with their experiences. However, the actual relationship between commemoration and mental health outcomes is complicated and evidence of healing effects remains elusive. By applying a scoping review approach, this article maps empirical studies that focus on commemoration from a psychological perspective. Within five electronic databases, 415 unique articles were identified, of which 26 met the predetermined inclusion criteria, i.e. presenting empirical data on the subject of war or large-scale violence and commemoration in relation to posttraumatic stress (PTS) and grief reactions. The data were extracted and analysed according to the five steps of a systematic scoping review. Results varied, with both negative and positive effects of commemoration on PTS and grief reactions being reported. Based on these findings we propose an evidence-informed model that distinguishes different aspects influencing the linkage between commemoration and PTS and grief reactions. The following aspects are distinguished: contextual factors, including political and cultural context, individual characteristics and facilitating mechanism, including expression, recognition, support, meaning-making and personal memories. The proposed model needs to be tested and validated by further quantitative research. This will allow social workers and policy makers to make well-informed decisions about commemorative events that may benefit fractured communities as well as individuals.

La conmemoración colectiva en respuesta a guerra o desastre está muy extendido a lo largo del tiempo y las culturas. Se asume que apoya a quienes fueron afectados por el evento disruptivo para afrontar estas experiencias. Sin embargo, la relación actual entre la conmemoración y los resultados de salud mental es complicada y la evidencia de los efectos de sanación permanece elusiva. Al aplicar una perspectiva de revisión de alcance, este artículo mapea estudios empíricos que se centran en la conmemoración desde una perspectiva psicológica. Incluyendo cinco bases de datos electrónicas, 415 artículos únicos fueron identificados, de los cuales 26 cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión predeterminados, por ej. Presentando datos empíricos en el tema de guerra o violencia de larga escala y la conmemoración en relación al estrés postraumático (EPT) y reacciones de duelo. Los datos fueron extraídos y analizados de acuerdo a los cinco pasos de una revisión sistemática de alcance. Los resultados variaron, tanto en los efectos positivos como negativos de la conmemoración en el EPT y las reacciones de duelo reportadas. En base a estos hallazgos, se propone un modelo informado en la evidencia que distingue aspectos diferentes que influencian el vínculo entre la conmemoración y el EPT y las reacciones de duelo. Los siguientes aspectos son distinguidos: factores contextuales, incluyendo el contexto político y cultural, las características individuales y el mecanismo facilitador, incluyendo expresión, reconocimiento, apoyo, significación y recuerdos personales. El modelo propuesto necesita ser puesto a prueba y validado por investigación cuantitativa adicional. Esto permitirá que los trabajadores sociales y los legisladores tomen decisiones bien informadas con respecto a los eventos conmemorativos que pueden beneficiar a las comunidades fracturadas como también a los individuos.

针对战争或灾难的集体纪念活动普遍存在于各时间和文化中。它被认为可以支持那些受破坏性事件影响的人应对其经历。然而, 纪念活动与心理健康结果之间的实际关联很复杂, 且治愈效果的证据仍旧难寻。通过应用范围综述的方法, 本文从心理学角度呈现了关注纪念活动的实证研究。在五个电子数据库中, 确定了415篇不同的文章, 其中26篇符合预定的入组标准, 即提供战争或大规模暴力与纪念活动主题的有关创伤后应激 (PTS) 及悲伤反应的经验数据。根据系统性范围综述的五个步骤来提取和分析数据。结果各不相同, PTS及悲伤反应的正, 负面影响均有被报告。基于这些发现, 我们提出了一个区分了影响纪念活动与PTS及悲伤反应间联系不同方面的循证模型。区分以下几个方面:背景因素 (包括政治和文化背景), 个人特征及促进机制 (包括表达, 认可, 支持, 意义建构和个人记忆) 。提出的此模型需要通过进一步定量研究的考查和验证。这将使社会工作者和政策制定者能够就可能有益于脆弱团体及个体的纪念活动做出明智的决定。.

Keywords: Commemoration; expression; grief; meaning-making; personal memories; posttraumatic stress; recognition; support; war; • Collective commemoration after large-scale violence aims to assist survivors to cope with disruptive events.; • Commemoration may elevate stress and grief reactions, but is also experienced as helpful by many individuals.; • The presence or absence of broader aspects, including recognition and support, influences individual responses and help us to understand under what circumstances commemoration can be beneficial.; • Twenty-six empirical studies examined the experience of posttraumatic stress and grief after commemoration..

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Flow chart.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Evidence-informed model of predictors of posttraumatic stress and grief reactions after commemoration.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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