A cross-national study of posttraumatic stress disorder in Dutch-Australian immigrants

Objective: Studying the rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in people who experienced World War II, but who have subsequently lived in different environments is a way of looking at the impact of recovery environment on PTSD. Immigrants had less support in terms of the social cohesion in their home country, but were not subjected to the same triggers of war-related intrusions.Method: Posttraumatic stress disorder was investigated in citizens from the Netherlands who emigrated to Australia in the post-World War II years (n = 251). Immigrants born between 1920 and 1930 (n = 171) were compared with a same-aged group living in Holland (n = 1461) for stressful war experiences and the extent of PTSD.Results: Those who had been exposed to the most severe war stress were over-represented in the immigrant group. Immigrants with current PTSD more often stated that motives for migration were threat of a third world war, disappointment with Dutch society and personal problems. We were unable to demonstrate s...