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The Role of Trauma-Related Injustice in Pathways to Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among Conjugal Couples: A Multilevel, Dyadic Analysis in Postconflict Timor-Leste

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  • Alvin Kuowei Tay
  • Susan J. Rees
  • Natalino Tam
  • Elisa Savio
  • Zelia Maria Da Costa
  • Derrick Silove

Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that the survivor’s psychological response to the traumas of mass conflict can affect adversely other family members. Yet, the focus of past epidemiological studies in the field has been confined to the individual survivor’s posttraumatic stress symptom (PTSS) response. We report the first study of its kind in a postconflict country, in which we examine the effects of trauma exposure in one member of conjugal couples on the PTSS of the other. The study involved 677 conjugal couples drawn from a community survey ( n = 1,354) in postconflict Timor-Leste. We used culturally adapted and psychometrically tested measures of traumatic events (TEs), preoccupations with injustice, explosive anger, family conflict, and PTSS. A multilevel actor–partner interdependence model (ML-APIM) demonstrated individual pathways involving exposure to murder and atrocities, preoccupations with injustice, explosive anger, and family conflict, leading to PTSS in both men and women when examined separately, with minor variations in paths by gender. Preoccupations with injustice in male survivors contributed to PTSS in the female partner, but not vice versa. Women may have a gender-specific propensity to identify with the male partner’s preoccupations with injustice following exposure to murder and atrocities. Our findings offer novel clues to the possible factors contributing to the higher rates of PTSS among women.

Suggested Citation

  • Alvin Kuowei Tay & Susan J. Rees & Natalino Tam & Elisa Savio & Zelia Maria Da Costa & Derrick Silove, 2017. "The Role of Trauma-Related Injustice in Pathways to Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among Conjugal Couples: A Multilevel, Dyadic Analysis in Postconflict Timor-Leste," SAGE Open, , vol. 7(3), pages 21582440177, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:7:y:2017:i:3:p:2158244017723688
    DOI: 10.1177/2158244017723688
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rees, Susan & Silove, Derrick, 2011. "Sakit Hati: A state of chronic mental distress related to resentment and anger amongst West Papuan refugees exposed to persecution," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(1), pages 103-110, July.
    2. Susan Rees & Derrick Silove & Teresa Verdial & Natalino Tam & Elisa Savio & Zulmira Fonseca & Rosamund Thorpe & Belinda Liddell & Anthony Zwi & Kuowei Tay & Robert Brooks & Zachary Steel, 2013. "Intermittent Explosive Disorder amongst Women in Conflict Affected Timor-Leste: Associations with Human Rights Trauma, Ongoing Violence, Poverty, and Injustice," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(8), pages 1-7, August.
    3. Silove, Derrick & Brooks, Robert & Bateman Steel, Catherine Robina & Steel, Zachary & Hewage, Kalhari & Rodger, James & Soosay, Ian, 2009. "Explosive anger as a response to human rights violations in post-conflict Timor-Leste," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(5), pages 670-677, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Johanna Christina Neumann & Thomas Berger & Jan Ilhan Kizilhan, 2021. "Development of a Questionnaire to Measure the Perceived Injustice of People Who Have Experienced Violence in War and Conflict Areas: Perceived Injustice Questionnaire (PIQ)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-16, November.

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