The effects of sexual violence on psychosocial outcomes in formerly abducted girls in Northern Uganda: the WAYS study
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Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMC psychology
Abstract
The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of sexual violence on the odds of different
psychosocial outcomes (depression, psychotic symptoms, somatic complaints, conduct problems, daily functioning,
community relations, and stigma) among formerly abducted girls in Uganda.
Methods: Data from an on-going War-Affected Youth Study (WAYS) in Uganda was used to compute the
prevalence of psychosocial problems (scores ≥ 75th percentile) among three categories of formerly abducted girls
(1) no history of sexual violence without children, 2) a history of sexual violence without children, and 3) a history
of sexual violence with children as a consequence) among 210 women (age 22.06, SD = 2.06, range 18–25). Multiple
logistic regression analyses were used to examine differences in psychosocial outcomes by the different categories
of formerly abducted girls.
Results: Compared to participants with no history of sexual violence and without any children, the odds of adverse
psychosocial outcomes were increasingly higher for all psychosocial dimensions for those who reported sexual
violence with or without children. Those with a history of sexual violence and with children as a consequence had
more than five times the odds of reporting depressive symptoms (OR, 5.37; 95 % CI (1.45–19.90), somatic
complaints (OR, 6.59; 95 % CI (1.80 – 24.11), and stigma (OR, 13.85; 95 % CI (3.73 – 51.42) compared to those who
did not report sexual violence.
Conclusion: This study highlighted the risks of psychosocial problems among different categories of formerly
abducted girls regarding sexual violence. Vulnerability to psychosocial problems among formerly abducted girls is
further compounded by sexual violence, child care, stigma, and poverty.
Description
Keywords
Sexual violence, Psychosocial outcomes, Abducted girls, Northern Uganda
Citation
Amone-P’Olak, K., Ovuga, E., & Jones, P. B. (2015). The effects of sexual violence on psychosocial outcomes in formerly abducted girls in Northern Uganda: the WAYS study. BMC psychology, 3(1), 1-9. DOI 10.1186/s40359-015-0103-2