Post-traumatic stress in former Ugandan child soldiers

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Impulsive Pressurization of Neuronal Cells for Traumatic Brain Injury Study
09:24

Impulsive Pressurization of Neuronal Cells for Traumatic Brain Injury Study

Published on: October 12, 2011

Ilse Derluyn1, Eric Broekaert, Gilberte Schuyten

  • 1Department of Orthopedagogics, Henri Dunantlaan 2, B-9000 Gent, Belgium. Ilse.Derluyn@UGent.be

Lancet (London, England)
|March 20, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Child soldiers in Uganda endure severe trauma, with 97% experiencing clinically significant post-traumatic stress reactions. Parental loss, particularly mothers, exacerbated avoidance symptoms, especially in girls.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Child Psychology
  • Global Health

Background:

  • Child soldiers are a global issue, with an estimated 300,000 children involved in armed conflicts worldwide.
  • The Lord's Resistance Army in Northern Uganda has a history of abducting children for use as soldiers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the nature and extent of trauma experienced by former child soldiers abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army.
  • To assess the prevalence of post-traumatic stress reactions in this population.
  • To explore the impact of parental loss on trauma symptoms.

Main Methods:

  • Interviews were conducted with 301 former child soldiers abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army.
  • Data collected included abduction duration, age at abduction, and types of traumatic events experienced.
  • The Impact of Event Scale-Revised was administered to 71 children to assess post-traumatic stress.

Main Results:

  • Former child soldiers experienced a mean of six traumatic events, with 77% witnessing killings and 39% being forced to kill.
  • 97% of the 71 children assessed reported clinically significant post-traumatic stress reactions.
  • The death of a parent, especially the mother, significantly increased avoidance symptoms (p=0.04), with a pronounced effect on girls (p=0.02).

Conclusions:

  • Former child soldiers from the Lord's Resistance Army exhibit extremely high rates of severe trauma and post-traumatic stress reactions.
  • Parental loss is a significant risk factor for developing avoidance symptoms, particularly in female former child soldiers.
  • These findings underscore the profound psychological impact of child soldiery and the need for targeted interventions.

More Related Videos

Modeling Highly Repetitive Low-level Blast Exposure in Mice06:00

Modeling Highly Repetitive Low-level Blast Exposure in Mice

Published on: May 24, 2024

System for Focal, Closed-System Central Nervous System Injury04:02

System for Focal, Closed-System Central Nervous System Injury

Published on: November 29, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Cognitive Dissonance01:38

Cognitive Dissonance

Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
Stress: General Loading Conditions01:15

Stress: General Loading Conditions

To grasp the intricacy of real-world conditions where multiple loads are applied simultaneously to a structure, one might visualize a section passing through a specific point within a body, aligned parallel to the xy plane. This section is subjected to various forces, including original loads, normal forces, and shearing forces.
The shearing force, possessing potential directionality within the plane of the section, is simplified into two component forces running parallel to the x and y axes.
Traumatic Memory01:20

Traumatic Memory

Emotionally traumatic events often lead to memories that are exceptionally vivid and enduring, sometimes persisting with remarkable clarity throughout an individual's life. A classic example of this phenomenon is a person who survives a car accident. Even years later, they may recall every detail of the event with startling accuracy — the screeching of the tires, the jarring impact, and the acrid smell of burning rubber. Such vividness contrasts sharply with how an individual remembers mundane...
Repressed Memory01:16

Repressed Memory

Repressed memories are a psychological phenomenon where memories of traumatic events are unconsciously blocked from a person's awareness. This process occurs as a defense mechanism, protecting the mind from the emotional impact of distressing or painful experiences. For example, a person who has experienced childhood trauma may grow up with no conscious recollection of the event. In such cases, the memories are thought to be buried deep within the subconscious, inaccessible to the conscious...
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder01:27

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition that arises following exposure to traumatic events such as natural disasters, forced displacement, or severe accidents. It significantly impairs individuals' ability to cope with daily activities and disrupts their emotional and psychological equilibrium.
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events, are a...