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Stress, Trauma, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Migrants: a Comprehensive Review
Migration is a major chronic stressor, increasing migrants' risk of mental health problems like PTSD. This review highlights the need for culturally appropriate mental health interventions for this population in Brazil.
Meta-Analysis of the Association Between Autobiographical Memory Specificity and Exposure to Trauma
Exposure to trauma makes specific memory recall more difficult. This reduced specificity of autobiographical memory can increase a person's risk for emotional disorders.
Apodaca v Raemish
The Supreme Court declined to hear a case regarding solitary confinement and outdoor exercise. Justice Sotomayor warned that such isolation causes severe psychological harm, citing research on its damaging mental effects.
Ex parte Lane
The Alabama Supreme Court held that an intellectual disability prevents execution. Lifelong cognitive impairments and impaired adaptive functioning were key factors in this decision.
State v. Curley
The Louisiana Supreme Court overturned a murder conviction. The ruling found the defendant's lawyer was ineffective for not using expert testimony on battered woman syndrome to support a self-defense claim.
State v. Coburn
The Montana Supreme Court upheld a homicide sentence. Expert testimony on FASD, ADHD, and trauma was considered, but the defendant did not prove these conditions prevented him from following the law.
Schmitz v. National Collegiate
The court allowed claims for repeated football-related head impacts to proceed. It held that brain injuries like CTE may not accrue until the connection to prior exposure is discovered.
Vergine v. Phillips
The court ruled that PTSD can be a serious injury under New York's No-Fault Law. A licensed clinical social worker is qualified to diagnose PTSD and provide evidence for a trial.
Brief of Michigan Coalition to End Domestic & Sexual Violence and End Violent Encounters, Inc. as Amici Curiae in Support of Appellant’s Application for Leave to Appeal
The brief argues that Michigan judges should be able to decide whether support animals can be in court on a case-by-case basis. It asks the Court to allow this to promote truth and uphold victims' rights.
Brief of Amicus Curiae Center for Victims of Torture in Support of Petitioners’ Habeas Corpus Motion
This brief argues that the indefinite detention of men at Guantánamo Bay causes human suffering and medical harm. It urges the court to grant the petitioners' motion to end their prolonged non-criminal detention.
The Increased Vulnerability of Refugee Population to Mental Health Disorders
Refugee populations face higher rates of mental health disorders like anxiety and PTSD due to pre-migration trauma and post-migration stressors. These challenges often persist long after resettlement.
Palakovic v. Wetzel
The Third Circuit ruled prison officials can be liable under the Eighth Amendment for prolonged solitary confinement of mentally ill inmates, citing evidence that it can cause mental harm.
Williams v. Secretary Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
The court ruled that holding inmates in solitary confinement after their death sentences are overturned may violate due process, citing research on the harm of isolation.
Trauma is a Public Health Issue
Exposure to trauma is widespread globally, impacting individuals and societies.
The Social Determinants of Refugee Mental Health in the Post-Migration Context: A Critical Review
A record 65.6 million people were forcibly displaced in 2016. While refugees often experience mental health issues, many recover within a year if resettled into supportive environments.