Coping and mental health outcomes among Sierra Leonean war-affected youth: Results from a longitudinal study

Abstract

This study explored how coping with war-related traumatic events in Sierra Leone impacted mental health outcomes among 529 youth (aged 10-17 at baseline; 25% female) using longitudinal data from three time points (Time 1 in 2002, Time 2 in 2004, and Time 3 in 2008). We examined two types of coping items (approach and avoidance); used multiple regression models to test their relations with long-term mental health outcomes (internalizing behaviors, externalizing behaviors, adaptive/prosocial behaviors, and posttraumatic stress symptoms); and used mediation analyses to test whether coping explained the relation between previous war exposures (being raped, death of parent(s), or killing/injuring someone during the war) and those outcomes. We found that avoidance coping items were associated with lower internalizing and posttraumatic stress behaviors at Time 3, and provided some evidence of mediating the relation between death of parent(s) during the war and the two outcomes mentioned above. Approach coping was associated with higher Time 3 adaptive/prosocial behaviors, whereas avoidance coping was associated with lower Time 3 adaptive/prosocial behaviors. Avoidance coping may be a protective factor against mental illness, whereas approach coping may be a promotive factor for adaptive/prosocial behaviors in war-affected societies. This study has important implications for designing and implementing mental health interventions for youth in postconflict settings.

The contemporary refugee crisis: an overview of mental health challenges

“…The present paper focuses on issues of general concern amongst adult refugees. The reader is referred to the specialized literature on vulnerable sub‐populations (child soldiers, unaccompanied minors, children and youth, single or widowed women) and specific geographical situations around the world.…”

Youth in Northern Ireland: Linking Violence Exposure, Emotional Insecurity, and the Political Macrosystem

“…Finally, the chronosystem incorporates time-based effects (e.g., generational effects). An increasing number of psychologists researching youth wellbeing in contexts of political violence have applied this framework using process-oriented and longitudinal designs, which have broadened our understanding of development to include processes within the family, school, and community settings, and to address ways that these may change across historical time (Aber et al, 2017;Cummings, Merrilees, Taylor, Goeke-Morey, & Shirlow, 2017a;Huesmann et al, 2017;Sharma, Fine, Brennan, & Betancourt, 2017).…”

Psychological adaptation and posttraumatic stress disorder among Syrian refugees in Germany: a mixed-methods study investigating environmental factors

“…A growing body of research has demonstrated the adverse impacts of forced migration on mental health by showing higher rates of psychiatric disorders, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Cengiz, Ergun, & Çakıcı, 2019;Hameed, Sadiq, & Din, 2018). At the same time, it has also been established that some individuals may show positive psychological adaptation in the face of forced migration (Sharma, Fine, Brennan, & Betancourt, 2017;Siriwardhana, Ali, Roberts, & Stewart, 2014;Ward & Kennedy, 1999). Some research has examined mental health among refugees, yet additional research on potential risk or protective factors that impact psychological adaptation is crucial for informing efforts to prevent PTSD and other negative mental health outcomes.…”