Suicidality after the genocide against the Yazidi in Iraq in 2014

Jan Ilhan Kizilhan; Laura Sennhauser; Thomas Wenzel

doi:10.1037/tra0001737

Suicidality after the genocide against the Yazidi in Iraq in 2014

Psychol Trauma. 2024 Jun 20. doi: 10.1037/tra0001737. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Jan Ilhan Kizilhan¹, Laura Sennhauser², Thomas Wenzel³

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Psychotherapy and Psychotraumatology, University of Duhok.
² Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Bern.
³ Scientific Section on Psychological Aspects of Persecution and Torture, World Psychiatric Association.

PMID: 38900516
DOI: 10.1037/tra0001737

Abstract

Objective: To explore the relationship between psychological stress and suicidality in Yazidi refugee camps in Iraq.

Method: At the time of the investigation, the Yazidi survivors of the 2014 genocide by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria had been living in refugee camps in Iraq for 9 years. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between psychological stress and suicidality in Yazidi refugee camps in Iraq. In total, 425 participants took part in the study and participated in interviews using standard scales to measure general physical and mental health and suicidality.

Results: The results demonstrate that suicidality and psychological stress are higher among the Yazidis survivors of genocide than in the other Yazidi and Non-Yazidi participants.

Conclusions: Genocide, flight, and life in refugee camps without any prospect of being able to live in peace again increases suicidal thoughts, which should also be considered in the psychosocial care and therapy of this population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).