Post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression among Italian Nazi concentration camp survivors: a controlled study 50 years later

Background. The study aimed to assess the current and lifetime rates of pos t-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression (MDD) among Nazi co ncentration camps survivors. Methods. We investigated 51 Italian political deportees and 47 Resistance M ovement veterans who reported traumatic experiences during active service. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV was used to assess the presenc e of PTSD and MDD. The Dissociative Experiences Scale and the shorter versi on of the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist were also administered. Results. The lifetime rates of PTSD and MDD were 35.3% and 45.1% respective ly among deportees and 4.3% and 6.4% among former partisans. The current ra tes for PTSD and MDD were 25.5 % and 33.3 % among deportees and 4.3 % and 4 .3 % among former partisans. Dissociative symptoms were more severe among d eportees than among Resistance movement veterans. Conclusions. Concentration camp internment, even for political reasons, app ears to have severe long-term psychiatric consequences.