文章基本信息

标题：Growing up in armed groups: trauma and aggression among child soldiers in DR Congo
本地全文：下载
作者：Katharin Hermenau ; Tobias Hecker ; Anna Maedl 等
期刊名称：European Journal of Psychotraumatology
印刷版ISSN：2000-8198
电子版ISSN：2000-8066
出版年度：2013
卷号：4
DOI：10.3402/ejpt.v4i0.21408
语种：English
出版社：Taylor & Francis Group
摘要：Background: Child soldiers are often both victims and perpetrators of horrendous acts of violence. Research with former child soldiers has consistently shown that exposure to violence is linked to trauma-related disorders and that living in a violent environment is correlated with enhanced levels of aggression.Objective: To gain more insight into the experiences and the mental health status of former child soldiers, we conducted a survey with N=200 former child soldiers and adult combatants in the DR Congo.Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews concerning military experiences, experienced and perpetrated violence, and mental health. Results: Former child soldiers reported more experienced and perpetrated violence, a greater severity of trauma-related suffering, as well as higher appetitive aggression than adult ex-combatants. Appetitive aggression was related to more perpetrated violence, higher military ranks, voluntary recruitment and higher rates of reenlistments in former child soldiers.Conclusions: Our results indicate that growing up in an armed group is related to higher levels of traumarelated disorders and aggressive behavior. This may explain the challenge of reintegrating former child soldiers. It is thus important to consider mental health problems, particularly trauma-related disorders and aggressive behavior, of former child soldiers for designing adequate reintegration programs.Keywords: PTSD; child soldiers; aggression; violence; DRC(Published: 6 November 2013)For the abstract or full text in other languages, please see Supplementary files in the column to the right (under Article Tools)Citation: European Journal of Psychotraumatology 2013, 4: 21408 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v4i0.21408
关键词：PTSD; child soldiers; aggression; violence; DRC