Tibetans' Coping Mechanisms Following Torture: An Interview Study of Tibetan Torture Survivors' Use of Coping Mechanisms and How These Were Supported by Western Counseling

Western fascination with Buddhism means that Westerners consider Buddhist psychology for building up resilience regarding mental disorders and for creating building blocks for "the art of happiness." This study evaluates the effect of Buddhist spirituality on resilience to torture. In all,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Traumatology (Tallahassee, Fla.) Fla.), 2009-03, Vol.15 (1), p.3-10
Main Authors: Elsass, Peter, Phuntsok, Kalsang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Buddhism
Coping Behavior
Female
Human
Male
Resilience (Psychological)
Spirituality
Survivors
Torture
Victimization
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Summary:Western fascination with Buddhism means that Westerners consider Buddhist psychology for building up resilience regarding mental disorders and for creating building blocks for "the art of happiness." This study evaluates the effect of Buddhist spirituality on resilience to torture. In all, 102 Tibetan torture survivors were interviewed about their coping mechanisms in overcoming trauma; 36 of these survivors were receiving counseling, and both the 16 professionals and their clients were interviewed after the treatment with open-ended questions about what was helpful and not helpful. Our results from both the assessment and the counseling study support the claim that Tibetan torture survivors use their political engagement and Tibetan Buddhism as an important coping mechanism. All clients expressed satisfaction with the counseling even if it did not enhance the political and spiritual coping. But nobody mentioned counseling in any open-ended interview, except when directly asked.
ISSN:1534-7656
1085-9373
DOI:10.1177/1534765608325120