War-related Distress Research Articles

Generation climate crisis, COVID-19, and Russia–Ukraine-War: global crises and mental health in adolescents

Climate change, COVID-19, and the Russia-Ukraine War are some of the great challenges of our time. These global crises affect young people in a particularly vulnerable phase of their lives. The current study aimed to assess the impact of these crises on mental health (depression, anxiety, and health-related quality of life) in secondary school students in Germany. Furthermore, we assessed known predictors of mental health, such as socio-economic factors, individual life stressors, and resilience factors (self-efficacy, expressive flexibility) as covariates. In our sample of 3998 pupils, pandemic- and climate-related distress were linked to greater depression and anxiety and reduced health-related quality of life. War-related distress was associated with greater anxiety. Critically, these associations remained significant after controlling for all covariates, supporting the incremental predictive value of the crises measures. The study reveals a significant impact of the crises on the mental health of the current generation of adolescents. As such it suggests that mental health policies should include interventions that help youth to cope with the stress caused by the crises.

The Tolerance of Tamils: War-Related Experiences, Psychological Pathways, and the Probability of Granting Civil Liberties to Former Enemies

This article evaluates the psychological pathways between war exposure and the formation of political tolerance in Sri Lanka after the civil war between 1983 and 2009. To date, little is known in the political science literature about the interplay between war experiences, their psychological footprints, and the formation of political tolerance. Using survey data from 2016, we are able to evaluate the psychological consequences of war experiences, differentiating between the issues of both war-related distress and posttraumatic growth. Our results based on path models reveal that war exposure does not uniformly damage political tolerance: experiences of posttraumatic growth, a highly discussed phenomenon, are able to increase an individual’s probability of granting basic civil liberties to an opposing group.

Subtle social stressors of civil wars: Transformation of social networks and psychological distress in Sri Lanka

Civil wars entail many harmful consequences for the population beyond physical injuries and casualties. Although recent research has pointed out the importance of psychological distress, it must not be overlooked that not only immediate experiences from civil wars can cause such distress, but also the processes transforming social networks. In this article, the authors argue that wartime transformation is enduring even after the civil war has ended. It is precisely these social processes that are responsible for the psychological footprint on civilians. This claim is tested using original survey data collected in Sri Lanka, which has witnessed a devastating civil war. Results of the regression analysis indicate that social transformation processes are distinctly associated with increased war-related distress. Moreover, social transformation processes partly mediate the relationship between direct exposure to war and distress. These findings have important implications for our understanding of social interventions in the aftermath of civil wars.

War Experiences and General Health Among People in Bosnia‐Herzegovina and Kosovo

War experiences may have an extensive impact on the health status of the exposed populations. This population-based study aimed to examine the relationship between war experiences and self-reported general health in representative sample surveys from Bosnia-Herzegovina (n = 3,313) and Kosovo (n = 1,000). Data were collected with face-to-face interviews fielded in the winter of 2003-2004. Logistic regression analysis was used to compute unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (ORs). The adjusted effects of the extensiveness of war experiences on poor health were positive in both countries, but they were statistically significant only for Bosnia-Herzegovina: OR = 1.04, 95% CI [1.00, 1.08] for Bosnia-Herzegovina and OR = 1.03, 95% CI [0.98, 1.09] for Kosovo. The strongest observed effect was found for Kosovo only: The extensiveness of war experiences was relatively strongly related to longstanding health problems, OR = 1.09, 95% CI [1.03, 1.15]. We found that war experiences may contribute to increased poorer health in the exposed populations; however, the effects 4-9 years after the war ended were modest. Hence, war experiences seemed to be more strongly related to war-related distress and posttraumatic stress disorder than to self-reported general health.

The Rights and Realities of War-affected Refugee Children and Youth in Quebec: Making Children's Rights Meaningful

Each year, thousands of children enter Canada, fleeing from countries where there has been armed conflict. In Quebec alone, between 1998 and 2007, 8 of the top 10 source countries for accepted refugees were war-affected nations, representing 34,838 people, including children. Yet, this group has been largely overlooked in Canadian research, policy and service provision. This paper traces the lived realities and resettlement experiences of a sample of war-affected children and youth living in Quebec who arrived accompanied by a parent or caregiver, alone as refugees, or without documented legal status, seeking asylum. Drawing upon in-depth interviews with 22 war-affected youth, the paper considers youth's perspectives on the lasting war-related distress experienced in Canada. The paper critically identifies the impact of the UNCRC on their lives in their countries of origin, in their resettlement to Canada, as well as Canada's role and obligations in meeting the needs and rights of this unique population. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for policy and practice, particularly with regard to envisioning ways of better meeting the rights of war-affected children.

Sri Lankan Tamil refugee experiences: A qualitative analysis

A significant number of Sri Lankan Tamils fled the violence unleashed during the civil war (1983–2009) between Tamils and the Sri Lankan government. The largest concentrations of Sri Lankan Tamils outside of Sri Lanka exist in Canada and India. The objective of this study is to examine the impact of pre-migration and post-migration experiences on Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Canada and India. A total of 35 refugees participated in the qualitative study. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews. About 28 participants were from Gummidipoondi refugee camps near Chennai, India, and seven were from Toronto, Canada. There were 22 males and 13 females. The content analysis revealed war-related complex distress among participants. Major themes identified were civil war, genocide and escape, settlement/Kudiyettam, the role of the United Nations and Refugee Board policies. The results of the study emphasize the distress caused by the civil war and the subsequent journey many refugees took to reach thei...

Psychological Growth in Aging Vietnam Veterans

This study offers alternative interpretations of war-related distress embedded within the social and political context of the Vietnam War. Subjective interpretations from aging Vietnam veterans were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. A central theme— Moral authenticity: Overcoming the betrayal and shame of war—overarched five subordinate themes. Four subordinate themes encapsulated layers of war-related betrayal associated with shame. Shame was likely to be described as either (a) internal/sense of personal failure, with no acts of rage; or (b) external/reckless or threatening acts of others, engendering rage. A fifth theme, reparation with self, reflected humility, gratitude, and empathy, currently undefined domains of the growth construct.

Does Religiosity Protect Against War-Related Distress? Evidence from Bosnia and Herzegovina

AbstractThe aim of this article is to test two hypotheses on the relationship between religiosity and war-related distress in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The article is based on a representative survey (n = 3,313) in Bosnia and Herzegovina during 2003–2004. The questionnaire included 15 items on war-related distress and 13 items on war experiences. From these items we developed a war-related distress scale, a war experiences scale, and several measures of religiosity. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the war-related distress symptoms on the one hand, and religiosity and war experience on the other hand, controlling for a range of other variables. Religious beliefs and religious stability seem to protect against war-related distress, but religious activity works in the opposite direction to increase war-related distress. In conclusion, we found weak support for the first hypothesis, although the effects of religiosity on war-related distress seem more complex than expected. Our second hypotheses, that religiosity may work as a buffer to dampen the effects of war experiences on war-related distress, found no support.

War Experiences and War-related Distress in Bosnia and Herzegovina Eight Years after War

To examine the relationship between war experiences and war-related distress in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The survey was performed in the late 2003 on a representative sample of 3313 respondents. The face-to-face interviews included 15 items on war-related distress and 24 items on war experiences. From these items we developed the War-related Distress Scale, the Direct War Experiences Scale, and the Indirect War Experiences Scale. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between war-related distress symptoms and war experiences variables, controlling for a range of other variables. Almost half of the respondents did not report any war-related distress symptoms, while about 13% reported 7 or more symptoms. Direct war experiences had a significant effect on war-related distress even eight years after the war, while indirect war experiences showed no significant effect on war-related distress. We found that marital status weakly decreased war-related distress, while household size increased it. Direct war experiences seem to have a long-lasting traumatic effect on a substantial number of residents of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

War-Related Distress Among Kosovar Albanians

This study focuses on war experiences, war-related distress, and health. It is based on face-to-face interviews in a representative survey of 1,000 Kosovar Albanians. Results show that direct war experiences have a stronger impact on war-related distress and health than indirect war experiences. The strongest predictor among crucial single experiences was being held prisoner of war. Among Kosovo-Albanians, direct war experiences may have had a strong effect on war-related distress, even 4 years after the end of the war.

The long-term consequences of war: the experience of World War II.

Over 50 years after the end of the Second World War, the long-term effects of exposure to traumatic events continue to be felt by veterans around the world. In this study of British survivors of military service in World War II and the conflict in Korea, over 700 veterans completed a questionnaire about their wartime experiences and their current psychological reactions to the war. The findings indicated that 19 per cent of the sample were still experiencing war-related psychological distress. Former officers were found to experience lower levels of distress than those who had served as NCOs or privates (or the equivalent in the other two Services). Contrary to results from other studies, former Far East prisoners of war were not shown to experience greater distress than prisoners held in other theatres of conflict. 44 references.

Trauma Stories: Violence, Emotion and Politics in Somali Ethiopia

This article draws on ethnographic material from Ethiopia to address two ways of making sense of violence and death: individual psychological trauma, in one society’s domain of psychological medicine, and personal and collective injury, in another society’s domain of politics. Both approaches entail theories of emotion and human nature. Both are embedded in social relations and have implications at individual, social and political levels. Among Somalis in Ethiopia, war-related distress is not interpreted in a medical framework aimed at healing. Rather, such violence is predominantly assimilated into the framework of Somali politics, in which individual injuries are considered injuries to a lineage or other defined group. The dominant emotion in this context is not sadness or fear, but anger, which has emotional, political and material importance in validating individuals as members of a group sharing mutual rights and obligations. Before advocating trauma-based models of war-related distress, researchers and practitioners should consider whether a medical framework would do better at helping individuals and communities to deal with distress and reconstruct meaningful lives and relationships in circumstances of longstanding collective violence.

Civil War, Social Integration and Mental Health in Croatia

Research has shown that social relationships are generally beneficial for mental health (Thoits 1995). However, few scholars have examined this association after the occurrence of a significant shock to the social system as a whole. The purpose of this article is to examine the relationship between social integration and war-related distress in Croatia immediately following the recent civil war. Does social integration decrease war-related distress? Does social integration buffer the effect of traumatic events on war-related distress? We analyze these questions using nationally representative survey data collected in Croatia in 1996. Results suggest that social integration has both positive and negative direct effects on distress. Being a member of informal organizations, such as sports clubs, and participating in social activities are beneficial for mental health. On the other hand, being a member of some formal organizations, such as church organizations and unions, is detrimental to mental health. There is little support for the idea that social integration buffers the effect of traumatic events on distress. Only one of thirty-six possible interactions is significant and supports the buffer hypothesis. Frequent participation in social activities buffers the effect of experiencing violence on war-related distress. Also, some forms of social integration appear to aggravate the effect of traumatic events on war-related distress. In sum, social integration does affect war-related distress after a system shock, but in complex and sometimes unexpected ways.

Psychiatric patients in war: A study of anxiety, distress and world assumptions

The present study aimed to study the implication of war stress in emotional and cognitive response of psychiatric patients. Thirty-nine Israeli hospitalized schizophrenics and 39 comparable controls were assessed during the 1991 Gulf War. Subjects tilled out questionnaires evaluating anxiety, war-related symptomatology, and world assumptions. Results revealed that while psychiatric patients reported significantly higher levels of trait anxiety than controls, the two groups did not differ in war-related distress. Moreover, on most indices, hospitalized schizophrenics held more positive world assumptions than controls. Theoretical issues are discussed.

War experiences and distress symptoms of Bosnian children.

The war in Bosnia has had a tremendous impact on civilians. Little is known about the impact of modern warfare on children. This survey documents the nature and frequency of war-related experiences among Bosnian children and describes their manifestations of selected psychological sequelae. A cross-sectional survey of 364 internally displaced 6- to 12-year-old children and their parents living in central Bosnian collectives was conducted during the war. Parents were surveyed for their children's war experiences; the children were surveyed for war-related distress symptoms. The children were exposed to virtually all of the surveyed war-related experiences. The majority had faced separations from family, bereavement, close contact with war and combat, and extreme deprivation. The prevalence and severity of experiences were not significantly related to a child's gender, wealth, or age, but were related to their region of residence, with children from the region of Sarajevo having the highest prevalence of experiences. Almost 94% of the children met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed, criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder. Significant life activity affecting sadness and anxiety were reported by 90.6% and 95.5% of the children, respectively. High levels of other symptoms surveyed were also found. Children with greater symptoms had witnessed the death, injury, or torture of a member of their nuclear family, were older, and came from a large city. The war-related experiences of the children studied were both varied and severe, and were associated with a variety of psychological sequelae. This experience underscores the vulnerability of civilians in areas of conflict and the need to address the effects of war on the mental health of children.