Trauma, risk, and resilience

A qualitative study of mental health in post-conflict Liberia

Dados Bibliográficos

ID2395555
AutoresManasi Sharma (0000-0002-3856-9601, Harvard University, autor correspondente), Allison Backman (Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA), Allison R Backman (Boston University), Oriana Vesga-Lopez (Harvard University), Lazaro Zayas (Massachusettes General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA), Lázaro V Zayas (0009-0009-3481-5981, Massachusetts General Hospital), Benjamin Harris (0000-0001-9124-6089, University of Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia), David C Henderson (0000-0001-8755-4505, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA), Karestan C Koenen (0000-0003-2978-7655, Harvard University), David R Williams (0000-0001-9922-8117, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA), Christina P C Borba (0000-0003-3559-9351, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA)
Ano2024
Volume61
Fascículo4
Páginas652-667
Data de publicação2024-08-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoTranscultural Psychiatric Research Review (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0041-1108 • E-ISSN: 0315-4386
EditoraSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/13634615231191992
PMID37731360
OpenAlexW4386910403
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas1
Referências citadas45

The Liberian civil wars led to widespread destruction and devastation for its individuals, communities, and economy. However, individuals' subjective trauma experiences and long-term psychological impact remain relatively understudied. This study aims to explore context-specific traumatic events and examine how risk and protective factors combine with traumas to influence trajectories of suffering and recovery over time. We conducted 43 semi-structured interviews with Liberian adults who were present during the Liberian civil wars, and we used line-by-line open coding, thematic analysis, and axial coding to analyze and contextualize the data. Eight key trauma themes emerged: Abuse (emotional, physical, and sexual), Captivity, Combat, Killings, Physical Illness, Resource Loss, Family Separation, and War Environment. The risk and protective factors that were reported as salient were: Age, Biological Sex, Socioeconomic Status, and Community Support. Further, key patterns emerged across interviews that indicated greater risk for long-term suffering: 1) exposure to multiple traumatic events, 2) certain types of traumatic events (like killing of a close family member), and 3) the combination of specific traumatic events and risk and protective factors (like older women witnessing the killing of their children). This study provides culturally relevant information on trauma, suffering, and resilience in post-conflict Liberia, with the aim of guiding the development of screening tools and targeted psychological interventions that improve well-being over time

Mental health · Psychiatry · Psychological resilience · Qualitative research · Resilience (materials science · Sociology · Anthropology · Clinical Psychology · Health and Conflict Studies · Medicine · Migration, Health and Trauma · Psychology · Resilience and Mental Health · Social Psychology