Posttraumatic stress and prospective memory among displaced Afghan students: Cross-sectional study

The Taliban's seizure of power in Afghanistan has led to a mass migration of educated individuals with varying levels of post-traumatic stress (PTS) to various countries around the world. It is known that post-traumatic stress leads to the possible decline of cognitive functions, including prospective memory (PM) in adults. However, the relationship between PTS and PM in displaced Afghan students has not yet been studied. This study aims to investigate the association between PTS and PM among displaced Afghan students. A cross-sectional quantitative study used the Prospective Memory Questionnaire (PMQ) and the Post-Traumatic Stress Questionnaire (PCL-5). The study employed non-probabilistic convenience sampling, with 132 Afghan and 130 Kyrgyz students participating. Data analysis was performed using non-parametric methods in SPSS Statistics-29. The results showed that Afghan students reported significantly higher levels of traumatic stress. Similarly, Afghan students exhibited more prospective memory decline than Kyrgyz students. Multiple regression analysis revealed significant associations between Afghan citizenship and higher traumatic stress levels, as well as between traumatic stress and memory decline. Our findings highlight the significant impact of citizenship and traumatic stress on memory decline among Afghan students and contribute to the existing literature, particularly in the context of migration and displacement.