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Trajectories of Internalizing Problems in War‐Affected Sierra Leonean Youth: Examining Conflict and Postconflict Factors
Author(s) -
Betancourt Theresa S.,
McBain Ryan,
Newnham Elizabeth A.,
Brennan Robert T.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2012.01861.x
Subject(s) - sierra leone , psychology , neglect , longitudinal study , stressor , developmental psychology , psychological intervention , psychological resilience , poverty , clinical psychology , psychiatry , social psychology , socioeconomics , medicine , sociology , political science , pathology , law
Three waves of data from a prospective longitudinal study in Sierra Leone were used to examine internalizing trajectories in 529 war‐affected youth (ages 10–17 at baseline; 25% female). Latent class growth analyses identified 4 trajectories: A large majority of youth maintained lower levels of internalizing problems (41.4%) or significantly improved over time (47.6%) despite very limited access to care, but smaller proportions continued to report severe difficulties 6 years postwar (4.5%) or their symptoms worsened (6.4%). Continued internalizing problems were associated with loss of a caregiver, family abuse and neglect, and community stigma. Despite the comparative resilience of most war‐affected youth in the face of extreme adversity, there remains a compelling need for interventions that address family‐ and community‐level stressors.