Aggression, Conflict and Peace ResearchMental health problems, family functioning and social support among children survivors of Colombia’s armed conflict
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Fecha
2020
Autores
Sánchez-Villegas, Milgen
Reyes-Ruiz, Lizeth
Taylor, Laura K.
Pérez Ruíz, Natalia Andrea
Carmona-Alvarado, Farid
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Emerald Publishing
Resumen
Purpose - Colombia presents with one of the largest armed conflicts in the world. Children exposed directly or indirectly to armed conflicts live the emotional footprints left by war. This study identified mental health problems among children survivors of Colombia’s armed conflict
and associated factors. Design/methodology/approach – A cross-sectional study with (n=80) children aged 7 to 11 years (M=9.8 years; SD= 1.4) was conducted using the Child Behavior Checklist, Family APGAR, and MOS social support survey adaptation to children. Linear
regression analyses were also performed with emotional and behavioral problems as the
outcomes and related factors as the predictors. Findings - Clinical levels of emotional and
behavioral problems were found in 56.3% of children. Internalizing problems (63.7%) were
more common than externalizing problems (51.2%). Older children had greater emotional
problems at the trend level, and those with higher functioning families had lower emotional
problems. Children with higher perceived social support had lower behavior problems at the
trend level. Research limitations/implications - This study includes a sample facing multiple
risks and uses a holistic approach to consider family and social resources that may support
children who are survivors of the armed conflict in Colombia. These results provide a foundation
for future promotion and prevention programs related to children’s mental health problems to
support peacebuilding within the framework of the Colombian post-conflict process.
Originality/value – To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to collect empirical
data on the mental health of children survivors of Colombia’s armed conflict focused in the
Atlantic Department.
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Palabras clave
Mental health problems, Family functioning, Social support, Emotional and behavioral problems, Colombian Armed conflict, Children