Symptom comparison across multiple solicitation methods among Burundians with traumatic event histories

Debate continues over whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are more biologically based and therefore relatively universal or are more culturally constructed. This study aimed to describe traumatic stress reactions in a Burundian sample and to investigate the influences of the solicitation method (open-ended questions and standardized measures) and psychoeducation (as a process of acculturation) on symptoms reported. Standardized measures showed that distress was manifested in somatization, anxiety, and depression, and less so in specific PTSD symptoms. Content analysis of open-ended questions revealed frequent material complaints. Prior exposure to Western ideas about trauma was predictive of more severe PTSD symptoms. The implications of the findings are discussed in terms of how methodological and cultural factors may influence posttraumatic reactions in nonindustrialized settings.