Traumatised youth harbour feelings of revenge
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Date
2024
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
European Journal of Psychotraumatology
Abstract
Background: Prolonged conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have caused
widespread psychological trauma among civilians leading to maladaptive coping strategies
across generations. Despite this occurrence, empirical studies on the prevalence of trauma
and its impact on attitudes towards revenge and forgiveness, particularly among the youth,
are scarce. This study aims to clarify the relationship between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD) symptom severity and the desires for forgiveness and revenge among Congolese
adolescents residing in Uganda.
Methods: We analysed data from 269 adolescent refugees from the DRC living in the Nakivale
refugee settlement in Southwestern Uganda. The assessment included exposure to war-related
traumatic events and the MINI-KID for DSM-V PTSD symptom severity. The Heartland
Forgiveness and Vengeance Scales measured willingness to forgive and feelings of vengeance.
Results: Exposure to war-related traumatic events was notably high in our sample, with severe
deprivation of food (260 [97%]), exposure to armed combat (249 [93%]), witnessing bombing,
burning, or destruction of houses (245 [91%]), disappearance of family members (239 [89%]),
and seeing dead bodies (236 [88%]). PTSD symptom severity was negatively associated with
willingness to forgive (b = −0.48; 95% CI −0.71–−0.25; p < .001) and positively associated
with vengeance (b = 0.18; 95% CI 0.04–0.32; p = .011).
Conclusion: PTSD symptom severity reduces the willingness to forgive and increases the
desire for vengeance among adolescent refugees. Mental health clinicians and policymakers
should consider addressing maladaptive coping behaviours related to feelings of revenge
and unwillingness to forgive in their support strategies for refugees.
Description
Keywords
Adolescent, refugees, PTSD symptom severity, vengeance, forgiveness, Uganda
Citation
www.tandfonline.com/journals/zept20