| Summary: | The aim of this research is to examine the mentalhealth of young adolescents who have been displacedby political violence of Colombia withinthe integrated ecological model of trauma impactpresented by Elbedour, ten Bensel and Bastien(1993). This framework stipulates the combined influenceof several levels of factors linked to familyaffiliation and social aspects of family network.Two groups of young adolescents participated inthis study, 48 were displaced by political violence(26 boys and 22 girls), 50 sedentary adolescentslived in extremely poor suburb of Barranquilla(26 boys and 24 girls). The mean age is 12.5 yearsold (sd= 2.18; min = 9; max = 16). Questionnaireshave been chosen with regards to their use in a contextof poverty and/or violence (Macksoud, 1992;Macksoud& Aber, 1996; Macksoud, Aber, Dyregrov,& Raundalen, 1990). Results show that displacedadolescents are more depressed and anxiousthan their sedentary peers. Anxiety is explained bythe total indices of trauma events while depressionis rather explained by the separation from parents.Social competencies and social environment appearas protective factors. Among the social factors, onefinds the extended family unit and the inclusionof friends within the social network of the family.Overall, the family and the preservation of the familyunit appear as crucial factors of mental health.
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