Parenting and discipline in post-conflict Sierra Leone

Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons; Thulin, Elyse J.; McLean, Kristen E.; Rogers, Tia McGill; Akinsulure‐Smith, Adeyinka M.; Betancourt, Theresa S.

doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104138

Cited by 16 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Our study's high prevalence of risky sexual behaviour is consistent with previous community-based studies conducted among adolescents and youths in both countries [7][8][9]29] and similar studies in other African countries [1,4,11,31]. The higher prevalence of risky sexual behaviour in our study may be attributed to increased trauma and economic hardships, changes in parenting styles, breakdown in the social fabric in our society and broken homes experienced by young people, which is due to civil war and lately the Ebola outbreak in these two countries [37][38][39].…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 63%

Sexual Risk Behaviour Among School-going Adolescents in Sierra Leone and Liberia. A Secondary Analysis of the 2017 Global School Health Survey

James

Osborne

Bah

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Background: There is very little information on sexual risk behaviour among Sierra Leone and Liberia school-going adolescents. The present study assessed the prevalence and determinants of sexual risk behaviours among school-aged adolescents in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Method: We used publicly available nationally representative cross-sectional datasets of the 2017 Sierra Leone and Liberia Global school health survey. The sample consisted of 2798 and 2744 school-going adolescents from Sierra Leone and Liberia, respectively. Results: The majority of adolescents in the two countries were involved in multiple sexual risk behaviour (80.2%), with higher prevalence observed in Sierra Leone (85.2%) than in Liberia (75.3%), Liberian adolescents showed lesser odds of indulging in multiple sexual risk behaviours than their Sierra Leonean counterparts (AOR=0.572; 95%CI: 0.345-0.946). Male compared to females were more likely to engage in multiple sexual risk behaviour (AOR=2.310;95%CI:1.543-3.458), with a similar pattern observed in both countries. Alcohol use was associated with multiple sexual risk behaviour (AOR=3.064; 95%CI: 2.137-4.392). Also, in Sierra Leone and Liberia, adolescents with one and two or more forms of psychological distress were more likely to have ever had sex than those who do show any form of psychological distress. Missing class/school was associated with multiple sexual risk behaviour (AOR=1.655; 95%CI:1.133-2.418). Peer support was only found to be a protective factor against no condom use among Liberian adolescents (AOR=0.608; 95%CI: 0.435-0.850). Less parental support was only associated with ever had sex more likely to have ever had sex as seen among adolescents in Sierra Leone (AOR=2.027; 95%CI: 1.322-3.107) but not Liberia (1.034(0.650-1.644). Conclusion: Our study found a high sexual risk behaviour among school-going adolescents in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Our finding highlights the need to strengthen sexual and reproductive health education in schools and communities that incorporate mental health promotion activities tailored to this group.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 63%

Sexual Risk Behaviour Among School-going Adolescents in Sierra Leone and Liberia. A Secondary Analysis of the 2017 Global School Health Survey

James

Osborne

Bah

et al. 2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Children stated severe discipline or beating as their highest concern. A study by Zuilkowski et al (15) confirmed that physical discipline is widely accepted and common in Sierra Leone.…”

Section: )mentioning

confidence: 93%

“…The admonition to bear is commonly given to people who are sick, have lost loved ones, or experience other struggles in their lives. In addition, children hold a low status in Sierra Leone society (18) and are expected to be compliant and respectful of their elders (15). These values and circumstances may well prohibit children from openly expressing their feelings related to distressing situations.…”

Section: )mentioning

confidence: 99%

Child Witchcraft Confessions as an Idiom of Distress in Sierra Leone; Results of a Rapid Qualitative Inquiry and Recommendations for Mental Health Interventions.

Yoder

Jong

Tol

et al. 2020

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BackgroundReports about child witchcraft are not uncommon in sub-Saharan Africa. In this study we approach child witchcraft as an idiom of distress. In an environment that may prohibit children from openly expressing distress, belief in witchcraft can provide a shared language to communicate about psychosocial suffering. We used an ecological approach to study how some children in distressing circumstances come to a witchcraft confession, with the aim to set out pathways for mental health interventions. MethodsWe employed rapid qualitative inquiry methodology, with an inductive and iterative approach, combining emic and etic perspectives. We conducted 37 interviews and 12 focus group discussions with a total of 127 respondents in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Inductive analysis was used to identify risk and protective factors related to witchcraft accusations and confessions. ResultsWe identified risk and protective factors related to the individual child, the family, peer relations, teachers and other professionals in a child’s life, traditional healers, pastors and the wider society. We found that in the context of a macrosystem that supports witchcraft, suspicions of witchcraft are formed at the mesosystem level, where actors from the microsystem interact with each other and the child. The involvement of a traditional healer or pastor often forms a tipping point that leads to a confession of witchcraft. ConclusionsChild witchcraft is an idiom of distress, not so much owned by the individual child as well as by the systems around the child. Mental health interventions should be systemic and multi-sectoral, to prevent accusations and confessions, and address the suffering of both the child and the systems surrounding the child. Interventions should be contextually relevant and service providers should be helped to address conscious and subconscious fears related to witchcraft. Beyond mental health interventions, advocacy, peacebuilding and legislation is needed to address the deeper systemic issues of poverty, conflict and abuse.

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“…Children stated severe discipline or beating as their highest concern. A study by Zuilkowski et al (15) con rmed that physical discipline is widely accepted and common in Sierra Leone.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In her study of the Mende people of Sierra Leone (one of the largest ethnic groups), Bledsoe observed that parents considered the experience and endurance of hardship in childhood an important preparation for the future, enabling a person to bear with adversities in their adult life (18). In addition, children hold a low status in Sierra Leone society (19) and are expected to be compliant and respectful of their elders (15). These values and circumstances may well prohibit children from openly expressing their feelings related to distressing situations.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Child witchcraft confessions as an idiom of distress in Sierra Leone; results of a rapid qualitative inquiry and recommendations for mental health interventions.

Yoder

Jong

Tol

et al. 2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Reports about child witchcraft are not uncommon in sub-Saharan Africa. In this study we approach child witchcraft as an idiom of distress. In an environment that may prohibit children from openly expressing distress, the shared imagery of witchcraft can provide a cultural idiom to communicate about psychosocial suffering. We used an ecological approach to study how some children in distressing circumstances come to a witchcraft confession, with the aim to set out pathways for mental health interventions.Methods We employed rapid qualitative inquiry methodology, with an inductive and iterative approach, combining emic and etic perspectives. We conducted 37 interviews and 12 focus group discussions with a total of 127 participants in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Inductive analysis was used to identify risk and protective factors related to witchcraft accusations and confessions.Results We identified risk and protective factors related to the individual child, the family, peer relations, teachers and other professionals in a child’s life, traditional healers, pastors and the wider society. We found that in the context of a macrosystem that supports witchcraft, suspicions of witchcraft are formed at the mesosystem level, where actors from the microsystem interact with each other and the child. The involvement of a traditional healer or pastor often forms a tipping point that leads to a confession of witchcraft. Conclusions Child witchcraft is an idiom of distress, not so much owned by the individual child as well as by the systems around the child. Mental health interventions should be systemic and multi-sectoral, to prevent accusations and confessions, and address the suffering of both the child and the systems surrounding the child. Interventions should be contextually relevant and service providers should be helped to address conscious and subconscious fears related to witchcraft. Beyond mental health interventions, advocacy, peacebuilding and legislation is needed to address the deeper systemic issues of poverty, conflict and abuse.

show abstract

Parenting and discipline in post-conflict Sierra Leone

Cited by 16 publications

References 47 publications

Sexual Risk Behaviour Among School-going Adolescents in Sierra Leone and Liberia. A Secondary Analysis of the 2017 Global School Health Survey

Sexual Risk Behaviour Among School-going Adolescents in Sierra Leone and Liberia. A Secondary Analysis of the 2017 Global School Health Survey

Child Witchcraft Confessions as an Idiom of Distress in Sierra Leone; Results of a Rapid Qualitative Inquiry and Recommendations for Mental Health Interventions.

Child witchcraft confessions as an idiom of distress in Sierra Leone; results of a rapid qualitative inquiry and recommendations for mental health interventions.

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