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Effect of trauma on quality of life as mediated by mental distress and moderated by coping and social support among postconflict displaced Ethiopians

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Abstract

Objective

An understanding of how quality of life is affected by severe trauma and mental distress may facilitate better intervention strategies for postconflict internally displaced persons, by identifying mediators, moderators, and independent risk factors. We investigate the pathways involved in this process and also study the moderating roles of coping strategies and perceived social support.

Method

A random sample of 1193 (62% women) internally displaced Ethiopian adults living in shelters in Addis Ababa were interviewed with instruments capturing the relevant concepts, including SCL-90-R and WHOQOL-BREF. Path analysis was employed to elaborate the mediating and moderating effects. Self-reported living conditions were also assessed.

Results

Mental distress increased and quality of life decreased with age. Mental distress mediated the effects of trauma in reducing the quality of life, and some trauma also reduced quality of life directly. These effects remained after adjusting for living conditions. Living conditions were related to quality of life also on their own. Coping strategies and perceived social support influenced mental distress and quality of life directly as well as indirectly by moderation, in part gender specific.

Conclusions

Intervention strategies aimed at reducing mental distress, modifying coping strategies, and encouraging social support may turn out to be useful in increasing the overall quality of life in postconflict situations, and are worth considering as complements to strategies that improve the living conditions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 9986, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Mesfin Araya

  2. Division of Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Umeå, 901 85, Umeå, Sweden

    Mesfin Araya & Jayanti Chotai

  3. Public Health and Research, HealthNet TPO, Tolstraat 127, 1074 VJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Ivan H. Komproe & Joop T. V. M. de Jong

  4. Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, USA

    Joop T. V. M. de Jong

Authors
  1. Mesfin Araya
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  2. Jayanti Chotai
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  3. Ivan H. Komproe
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  4. Joop T. V. M. de Jong
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jayanti Chotai.

 

 

Appendix Correlation matrix of the standardized observed endogenous variables employed in the path analysis
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Araya, M., Chotai, J., Komproe, I.H. et al. Effect of trauma on quality of life as mediated by mental distress and moderated by coping and social support among postconflict displaced Ethiopians. Qual Life Res 16, 915–927 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-007-9201-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-007-9201-9

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