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Ideological commitment and posttraumatic stress in former Tamil child soldiers
Pushpa Kanagaratnam1, Magne Raundalen, Arve E Asbjørnsen
1Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Norway. pushpa.kanagaratnam@psysp.uib.no
Scandinavian Journal of Psychology
|November 10, 2005
Summary
Present ideological commitment may buffer against posttraumatic stress symptoms in former child soldiers. However, time erodes this commitment, negatively impacting mental health over time.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Trauma Studies
Background:
- Child soldiers face severe trauma and long-term psychological distress.
- Understanding factors influencing mental health in this population is crucial for effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between current ideological commitment and posttraumatic stress symptoms in former Tamil child soldiers in exile.
- To explore how ideological commitment influences mental health outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Impact of Event Scale to quantify posttraumatic stress symptoms.
- Employed qualitative methods to assess participants' current ideological commitment.
- Sample comprised 20 former Tamil child soldiers (18 men, 2 women, aged 25-37) with experiences between 13-17 years.
Main Results:
- Participants reported high exposure to potentially traumatizing events and elevated Impact of Event Scale scores.
- 25% of the sample exhibited strong ideological commitment to their former cause.
- Present ideological commitment appeared to predict better mental health, particularly with less intense trauma exposure.
Conclusions:
- Ideological commitment can serve as a protective factor for mental health in former child soldiers.
- The positive impact of ideological commitment diminishes over time.
- Longitudinal support and interventions addressing the erosion of commitment may be beneficial.