Social identification and post-traumatic stress symptoms in post-conflict Northern Ireland

Abstract

Understanding of the psychological impact of politically motivated violence is poor. To examine the prevalence of post-traumatic symptoms subsequent to the 'troubles' in Northern Ireland. A telephone survey of 3000 adults, representative of the population in Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Irish Republic, examined exposure to political violence, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and national identity. Ten per cent of respondents had symptoms suggestive of clinical PTSD. These people were most likely to come from low-income groups, rate national identity as relatively unimportant and have higher overall experience of the 'troubles'than other respondents. Direct experience of violence and poverty increase the risk of PTSD, whereas strong national identification appears to reduce this risk.