When combat prevents PTSD symptoms—results from a survey with former child soldiers in Northern Uganda

Roland Weierstall,Inga Schalinski,Tobias Hecker,Anselm Crombach,Thomas Elbert

doi:10.1186/1471-244x-12-41

Abstract

BackgroundHuman beings from time immemorial have eradicated neighbouring tribes, languages, religions, and cultures. In war and crisis, the cumulative exposure to traumatic stress constitutes a predictor of the development of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, homicide has evolved as a profitable strategy in man, leading to greater reproductive success. Thus, an evolutionary advantage of perpetrating violence would be eliminated if the exposure to aggressive acts would traumatize the perpetrator. We argue that perpetrating violence could actually ‘immunize’ a person against adverse effects of traumatic stressors, significantly reducing the risk of developing PTSD.MethodsWe surveyed 42 former child soldiers in Northern Uganda that have all been abducted by the Lord Resistance Army (LRA) as well as 41 non-abducted controls.ResultsLinear regression analyses revealed a dose–response effect between the exposure to traumatic events and the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) sum score. However, the vulnerability to develop trauma related symptoms was reduced in those with higher scores on the Appetitive Aggression Scale (AAS). This effect was more pronounced in the formerly abducted group.ConclusionsWe conclude that attraction to aggression when being exposed to the victim’s struggling can lead to a substantial risk-reduction for developing PTSD.

Highlights

Human beings from time immemorial have eradicated neighbouring tribes, languages, religions, and cultures
Since the Lord Resistance Army (LRA) relocated its residence to southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, several studies have investigated the impact of the war in Northern Uganda and reported devastating effects on the mental health of former child soldiers, especially because of the development of trauma-related
We argue that perpetrating violent acts could help to ‘immunize’ a person against adverse effects of traumatic stressors and significantly reduce the risk of developing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [17]

Summary

Introduction

Human beings from time immemorial have eradicated neighbouring tribes, languages, religions, and cultures. We argue that perpetrating violence could ‘immunize’ a person against adverse effects of traumatic stressors, significantly reducing the risk of developing PTSD. We showed in a path-analytic model involving Rwandan prison inmates who were all accused for crimes related to the 1994 genocide that a higher appetitive aggression was associated with a reduced risk to develop traumarelated symptoms [17]. To validate this finding and gain further insight into the underlying pathways that contribute to potential trauma-related illness in perpetrators, we surveyed male former child soldiers that have joined the Ugandan LRA. We supposed that the personally committed delinquency would predict the extend of appetitive aggression

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion