title: [Guiltless guilty--trauma-related guilt and posttraumatic stress disorder in former Ugandan child soldiers].
abstract: Despite international bans, more than 250,000 children and adolescents are exploited as soldiers worldwide, almost half of them in Africa. These children are exposed to a tremendous amount of violence and are often forced to commit atrocities themselves. In the present study, 330 former Ugandan child soldiers (age: 11-17, female: 48.5%) were interviewed regarding traumatic experiences, trauma-related guild, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Affective and cognitive aspects of guilt were assessed with the Trauma-related Guilt Inventory (TRGI) and PTSD with a diagnostic interview (MINI-KID). Children had been abducted at a mean age of 10.75 years and served for an average period of 19.81 months. They were exposed to numerous traumatic experiences during abduction, e. g., 86.4% were exposed to killings, 87.9% were threatened with death, 52.6% were forced to kill another person, and 25.8% were raped. Diagnostic criteria for PTSD were fulfilled by 33% of the children. Higher guilt cognitions were significantly related to posttraumatic stress disorder. The current study has implications for the development of clinical interventions for war-affected children.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie des Kindes- und Jugendalters. f.klasen@uke.de
authors.forename: Fionna
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Klasen
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schrage
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Post
authors.forename: Hubertus
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adam
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006708:Homicide / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D033242:Minors / Q000523:psychology*; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011902:Rape / Q000523:psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D014454:Uganda; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology