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Mental Health Status
of Returned Child Soldiers
compared with
Community Children in
Nepal.
A TERM PAPER PRESENTATION
BY:
SUJEN M. MAHARJAN.
2007
ON
Introduction
Mental wellbeing Lack of a mental disorder Mental health
Child soldiers
Community children
Associated with armed groups/forces
No official definition (WHO)
PLA
SF
Spy/informer, messenger, porter, cook, fund collector, logistic supporter, artists in cultural groups
Soldiers +
In Nepal
No epidemiological studies
No Mental Health policy
<1% Annual Budget
Mental Health Status of returned child soldiers compared with community children in Nepal.
Mental Health Status of returned child soldiers compared with community children in Nepal.
Literature Review
Sri Lanka
Northern Uganda
Mozambique
Tamil Tigers/ 1983
High PTSD, Depression, Somatisation (Somasundaram, 2002)
Lord’s Liberation Army: 90% army- children (abduction)
Renamo / 30 years of civil war
Cen- evil spiritsDepression + Anxiety (Akello et al.,2006)
Longitudinal study: 1988-2004 19 male former child soldiersHigh PTSD/npfuka (Boothby et al., 2004)
Experience of various traumatic events
Objective
To determine if child soldiers in Nepal have
greater mental health problems than community
children exposed to political violence who have not
associated with armed groups.
Mental Health Status of returned child soldiers compared with community children in Nepal.
Case Control
Assessment of:posttraumatic stress symptoms
depression symptoms anxiety symptoms
other generalized psychosocial functioning
Standard Psychological Instruments adapted for the Nepali context
Mental Health Status of returned child soldiers compared with community children in Nepal.
Methodology
Illam
Mental Health Status of returned child soldiers compared with community children in Nepal.
Demographics
Mental Health Status of returned child soldiers compared with community children in Nepal.
Findings and Results
Figure General comparison of community children and returned child soldiers
on psychosocial measures.
Mental Health Status of returned child soldiers compared with community children in Nepal.
Control Case
Control Case
Mental Health Status of returned child soldiers compared with community children in Nepal.
DiscussionBoth returned child soldiers and community children face different kinds of psychosocial problems like fear, anxiety, confusion, distrust, guilt, shyness, etc. due to the impact of armed conflict.
There is a significant variation from region to region.
Child soldiers display poorer mental health status with higher rates of depression, PTSD, anxiety, aggression, and poor daily functioning than
community children. Being female is a risk factor for depression and anxiety. Girls had significantly greater psychosocial distress than boys.
Children forced to become child soldiers had more psychosocial problems than children who reported to have joined voluntarily.
The exposure and experience of different kind of traumatic events and stressors placed child soldiers at long-term risk of psychological distress which might affect them even after a long period of time.
Mental Health Status of returned child soldiers compared with community children in Nepal.
Conclusion
The high prevalence of psychological distress among returned child soldiers compared with community children confirms that child soldiers are an at-risk group in need of intensive and focused services.
Although at a regional level, child soldiers may require more mental health services; it should not be assumed that at a national level all child soldiers have psychosocial problems equally.
Providing special mental health services for child soldiers is crucial and emergency in Nepal. However, attention also should be directed to vulnerability based on gender, ethnicity, economic status, and region of the country.
Mental health care can work toward peace-building and prevent further recruitment of children into armed groups.
The research shows that child soldiers have poorer mental health status than community children.
Mental Health Status of returned child soldiers compared with community children in Nepal.
Acknowledgements
THANK:
YOU
Tri-Chandra College
TPO (Transcultural Psychosocial Organization) Nepal
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