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The Social Ecology of Resilience in War-Affected Youth: A Longitudinal Study from Sierra Leone

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The Social Ecology of Resilience

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the experiences of war-affected youth in Sierra Leone. The author reports on findings from a mixed methods longitudinal study. She shows that a developmental and ecological perspective on the lives of children affected by armed conflict helps us to see the role environment plays in how well children cope during and after exposure to violence. Individual factors interact with family and community factors to bolster well being, securing for children the cultural and community resources necessary for mental health while addressing the problems of stigma and alienation.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Smokeless gunpowder was used in this part of Africa as a psychological ploy. Users were told that it brings on aggression.

  2. 2.

    Toment is an anxiety-like syndrome that has aspects of guilt, withdrawal, and sometimes fearfulness.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Global Health and Population at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, Boston, MA, USA

    Theresa S. Betancourt

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  1. Theresa S. Betancourt
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Correspondence to Theresa S. Betancourt .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Coburg Road 6414, Halifax, B3H 2A7, Nova Scotia, Canada

    Michael Ungar

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Betancourt, T.S. (2012). The Social Ecology of Resilience in War-Affected Youth: A Longitudinal Study from Sierra Leone. In: Ungar, M. (eds) The Social Ecology of Resilience. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-0586-3_27

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