Kommunikation innerhalb der Familie und Symptome der posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung nach einer politischen Inhaftierung

Many former political prisoners of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) suffer from negative long-term effects caused by imprisonment. Studies from other contexts have shown that verbal disclosure of traumatic experiences in the immediate social environment can have positive effects on reducing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, little is known about whether this effect differs depending on the communication partner of the disclosure within the family. This pilot study therefore examined the association between PTSD symptoms and disclosure to different family members in a sample of 135 former political prisoners (84% male) aged 39–86 years. Within the framework of a questionnaire the participants provided statements on the extent of PTSD symptoms (impact of event scale-revised, IES-R) and imprisonment-related communication within their families. The results provided indications of a chronic process by the symptoms of PTSD for some participants. The severity of PTSD symptoms differed depending on the disclosure partner. Participants who reported having actively disclosed their traumatic experience to their partners or their children displayed lower intrusion and hyperarousal values (for children additionally lower avoidance). There was no association between the direction of the intrafamilial disclosure (active or passive) and the utilization of professional psychosocial support. Future research examining familial coping among victims of political violence should take these findings more into consideration.