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Multiple trauma and mental health in former Ugandan child soldiers
Author(s) -
Klasen Fionna,
Oettingen Gabriele,
Daniels Judith,
Adam Hubertus
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.20557
Subject(s) - mental health , psychiatry , domestic violence , suicide prevention , occupational safety and health , posttraumatic stress , poison control , injury prevention , human factors and ergonomics , psychology , medicine , clinical psychology , medical emergency , pathology
The present study examines the effect of war and domestic violence on the mental health of child soldiers in a sample consisting of 330 former Ugandan child soldiers (age: 11–17 years, female: 49%). All children had experienced at least 1 war‐related event and 78% were additionally exposed to at least 1 incident of domestic violence. Prevalences of posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder were 33%, and 36%, respectively. Behavioral and emotional problems above clinical cutoff were measured in 61%. No gender differences were found regarding mental health outcomes. War experience and domestic violence were significantly associated with all mental health outcomes. The authors' findings point to the detrimental effects of domestic violence in addition to traumatizing war experiences in child soldiers.