Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Jul 1:19:100248.
doi: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2024.100248. eCollection 2024 Aug.

Specific challenges of researching stress in the context of quiet political repression

Ruth Marheinecke  1 , Ann-Christin Winter  2 , Bernhard Strauss  1   3 , Veronika Engert  1   3   4
Affiliations

Specific challenges of researching stress in the context of quiet political repression

Ruth Marheinecke et al. Compr Psychoneuroendocrinol. .

Abstract

Political repression beneath the threshold of criminal prosecution is a phenomenon of past and present, predominantly authoritarian, regimes. This so-called quiet repression includes measures such as the limitation of freedom of speech, surveillance of (perceived) political opponents, or the spreading of rumors to socially isolate targets. Such experiences of chronic stress show significant psychological and physiological health consequences in affected individuals. However, societal awareness of quiet repression measures remains limited, hindering victims' access to support and complicating healthcare interventions. In the current paper, we present the design of a study conducted with individuals who endured quiet repression measures in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), a socialist state closely aligned with the former Soviet Union. We discuss the challenges encountered over the course of the study, and present the solutions found. Although every study population has their unique challenges and needs, we wish to inform future sensitive research within the realm of quiet political repression. Given the limited understanding of the phenomenon, there is a pressing need for further investigation aiming to improve acceptance and care for past and future victims.

Keywords: Chronic stress; GDR; Political repression; Quiet or soft repression; Study design; Trauma.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

No conflict.

References

    1. Yehuda R., Halligan S.L., Golier J.A., Grossman R., Bierer L.M. Effects of trauma exposure on the cortisol response to dexamethasone administration in PTSD and major depressive disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2004;29:389–404. doi: 10.1016/s0306-4530(03)00052-0. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Yehuda R., Golier J.A., Harvey P.D., Stavitsky K., Tischler L. Relationship between cortisol and age-related memory impairments in Holocaust survivors with PTSD. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2005;30:678–687. - PubMed
    1. Briere J., Jordan C.E. Violence against women. J. Interpers Violence. 2004;19:1252–1276. doi: 10.1177/0886260504269682. - DOI - PubMed
    1. North C.S. Disaster mental health epidemiology: methodological review and interpretation of research findings. Psychiatry. 2016;79:130–146. doi: 10.1080/00332747.2016.1155926. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Klaassens E.R., Giltay E.J., van Veen T., Veen G., Zitman F.G. Trauma exposure in relation to basal salivary cortisol and the hormone response to the dexamethasone/CRH test in male railway employees without lifetime psychopathology. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2010;35:878–886. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2009.11.012. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources