When the war was over, little changed: women's posttraumatic suffering after the war in Mozambique.
Victor Igreja, Wim Kleijn, Annemiek Richters
The Journal of nervous and mental disease July 1, 2006 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1097/01.nmd.0000228505.36302.a3 via PubMed
Summary
Prolonged exposure to civil war in central Mozambique causes sequential traumatic experiences for most women, leading to ill health that ranges from posttraumatic stress symptoms to episodes of spirit possession (gamba). These conditions impair women's ability to conceive and raise children and marginalize their social position. The study recommends careful analysis of women's specific problems and needs in postwar contexts, along with systematic examination of resources that may aid trauma recovery.
Study at a glance
| Design | mixed methods |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 91 |
| Population | women exposed to civil war in central Mozambique |
| Key finding | For most women in the study, traumatic experiences are sequential processes, with ill health ranging from posttraumatic stress symptoms to spirit possession episodes that affect childbearing and social standing. |
Abstract
This article explores the psychosocial effects of women's prolonged exposure to civil war in the center of Mozambique. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, 91 women were assessed for posttraumatic stress symptoms and psychosocial indicators of ill health. The results indicate that for the majority of the women in this study, traumatic experiences are sequential processes. Their ill health ranges from symptoms of posttraumatic stress to episodes of spirit possession (gamba), affecting women's capacities to conceive and raise children, and marginalizing their social position. A careful analysis of the specific problems and needs of women in postwar contexts is recommended, along with a systematic examination of the effectiveness of the available resources that may play a role in boosting trauma recovery in this group of women.