The Impact of Avoidant/Disengagement Coping and Social Support on the Mental Health of Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence in Eastern Congo

IntroductionEastern Congo has been affected by armed conflict for decades while the rampant use of sexual violence has left many women and girls dealing with a wide range of consequences of sexual violence. For adolescent victims the psychosocial impact of sexual violence is devastating. However, th...

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Main Authors: An Verelst, Sarah Bal, Maarten De Schryver, Nanc Say Kana, Eric Broekaert, Ilse Derluyn
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2020-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00382/full
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author An Verelst
Sarah Bal
Maarten De Schryver
Nanc Say Kana
Eric Broekaert
Ilse Derluyn
author_facet An Verelst
Sarah Bal
Maarten De Schryver
Nanc Say Kana
Eric Broekaert
Ilse Derluyn
author_sort An Verelst
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionEastern Congo has been affected by armed conflict for decades while the rampant use of sexual violence has left many women and girls dealing with a wide range of consequences of sexual violence. For adolescent victims the psychosocial impact of sexual violence is devastating. However, the role of avoidant/disengagement coping and family support on the mental health impact of sexual violence remains unclear.MethodsThe study design was a cross-sectional, population-based survey in which 1,305 school-going adolescent girls aged 11 to 23 participated. Mental health symptoms (IES-R and HSCL-37A), family support (MSPSS), avoidant/disengagement (Kidcope), war-related traumatic events (ACEES), experiences of sexual violence, daily stressors, and stigmatization (ACEDSS) were administered through self-report measures. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was carried out with mental health outcomes as dependent variables for different types of sexual violence. Finally, several ANCOVA models were defined to explore possible interaction effects of avoidant/disengagement coping and family support with stigmatization, daily stressors and war-related traumatic exposure.ResultsFor girls who did not report sexual violence, avoidant/disengagement coping has a direct negative effect on all psychological symptoms. For victims of sexual violence, when high levels of stigma were reported, avoidant/disengagement coping possibly served as a protective factor, as shown by the interaction effect between avoidance/disengagement coping and stigmatization on mental health outcomes. In victims of sexual violence however, high levels of daily stressors combined with avoidant/disengagement strategies showed a strong increase in posttraumatic stress symptoms. Interestingly, the mental health impact of sexual violence was not mitigated by support by family members. For girls who reported a nonconsensual sexual experience without labelling it as rape and at the same time testified to have a lot of family support, there was a positive association between stressors (daily stressors, stigma, and war-related trauma) and posttraumatic stress symptoms.ConclusionsThese results of this study underwrite to the importance of looking beyond the straightforward negative impact of avoidant/disengagement coping strategies on mental health in adolescent victims of sexual violence. While avoidant/disengagement coping can have a negative impact on psychosocial well-being on adolescent victims of sexual violence, in case of high levels of stigmatization it can as well protect them from posttraumatic stress or anxiety. Furthermore these findings speak to the importance of exploring the diversified relationship between risk and protective factors, such as avoidant/disengagement coping strategies and family support, that shape the mental health impact of sexual violence in adolescent victims.
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spelling doaj.art-5ef7349f3c6a41828d7030e456d2c8942022-12-21T23:10:47ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402020-06-011110.3389/fpsyt.2020.00382495091The Impact of Avoidant/Disengagement Coping and Social Support on the Mental Health of Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence in Eastern CongoAn Verelst0Sarah Bal1Maarten De Schryver2Nanc Say Kana3Eric Broekaert4Ilse Derluyn5Centre for Children in Vulnerable Situations, Department of Social Work and Social Pedagogy, Ghent University, Gent, BelgiumGhent University Hospital, Ghent University, Gent, BelgiumFaculty Research Support Office, Ghent University, Gent, BelgiumCentre for Children in Vulnerable Situations, Department of Social Work and Social Pedagogy, Ghent University, Gent, BelgiumDepartment of Special Needs Education, Ghent University, Gent, BelgiumCentre for Children in Vulnerable Situations, Department of Social Work and Social Pedagogy, Ghent University, Gent, BelgiumIntroductionEastern Congo has been affected by armed conflict for decades while the rampant use of sexual violence has left many women and girls dealing with a wide range of consequences of sexual violence. For adolescent victims the psychosocial impact of sexual violence is devastating. However, the role of avoidant/disengagement coping and family support on the mental health impact of sexual violence remains unclear.MethodsThe study design was a cross-sectional, population-based survey in which 1,305 school-going adolescent girls aged 11 to 23 participated. Mental health symptoms (IES-R and HSCL-37A), family support (MSPSS), avoidant/disengagement (Kidcope), war-related traumatic events (ACEES), experiences of sexual violence, daily stressors, and stigmatization (ACEDSS) were administered through self-report measures. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was carried out with mental health outcomes as dependent variables for different types of sexual violence. Finally, several ANCOVA models were defined to explore possible interaction effects of avoidant/disengagement coping and family support with stigmatization, daily stressors and war-related traumatic exposure.ResultsFor girls who did not report sexual violence, avoidant/disengagement coping has a direct negative effect on all psychological symptoms. For victims of sexual violence, when high levels of stigma were reported, avoidant/disengagement coping possibly served as a protective factor, as shown by the interaction effect between avoidance/disengagement coping and stigmatization on mental health outcomes. In victims of sexual violence however, high levels of daily stressors combined with avoidant/disengagement strategies showed a strong increase in posttraumatic stress symptoms. Interestingly, the mental health impact of sexual violence was not mitigated by support by family members. For girls who reported a nonconsensual sexual experience without labelling it as rape and at the same time testified to have a lot of family support, there was a positive association between stressors (daily stressors, stigma, and war-related trauma) and posttraumatic stress symptoms.ConclusionsThese results of this study underwrite to the importance of looking beyond the straightforward negative impact of avoidant/disengagement coping strategies on mental health in adolescent victims of sexual violence. While avoidant/disengagement coping can have a negative impact on psychosocial well-being on adolescent victims of sexual violence, in case of high levels of stigmatization it can as well protect them from posttraumatic stress or anxiety. Furthermore these findings speak to the importance of exploring the diversified relationship between risk and protective factors, such as avoidant/disengagement coping strategies and family support, that shape the mental health impact of sexual violence in adolescent victims.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00382/fullsexual violencemental healthadolescent girlscopingfamily supportsocial support
spellingShingle An Verelst
Sarah Bal
Maarten De Schryver
Nanc Say Kana
Eric Broekaert
Ilse Derluyn
The Impact of Avoidant/Disengagement Coping and Social Support on the Mental Health of Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence in Eastern Congo
Frontiers in Psychiatry
sexual violence
mental health
adolescent girls
coping
family support
social support
title The Impact of Avoidant/Disengagement Coping and Social Support on the Mental Health of Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence in Eastern Congo
title_full The Impact of Avoidant/Disengagement Coping and Social Support on the Mental Health of Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence in Eastern Congo
title_fullStr The Impact of Avoidant/Disengagement Coping and Social Support on the Mental Health of Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence in Eastern Congo
title_full_unstemmed The Impact of Avoidant/Disengagement Coping and Social Support on the Mental Health of Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence in Eastern Congo
title_short The Impact of Avoidant/Disengagement Coping and Social Support on the Mental Health of Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence in Eastern Congo
title_sort impact of avoidant disengagement coping and social support on the mental health of adolescent victims of sexual violence in eastern congo
topic sexual violence
mental health
adolescent girls
coping
family support
social support
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00382/full
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