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War and disaster in Sri Lanka: Depression, family adjustment and health among women heading households

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  • Alyssa Banford Witting
  • Jessica Lambert
  • Thulitha Wickrama
  • Sivaguru Thanigaseelan
  • Michael Merten

Abstract

Background: The civil war, lasting from 1983 to 2009, and the tsunami that struck Southeastern Asia in 2004 were major stressors that changed the demographic landscape of the northern province of Sri Lanka. The composition of families changed dramatically, with an increase in female-headed households, largely due to casualties. The conservation of resources (COR) model was applied in this study to examine relationships between risk and resiliency factors among women heading households, including women widowed by war or disaster. Aims: This study represents an investigation of the association between predictive risk and resiliency factors (i.e. war damage and loss, social support, economic status, religious participation and discrimination) and outcomes representing well-being (depressive symptoms, family adjustment and a rating of physical health). Methods: Data from 514 women heading households living in the Kilinochchi district of Sri Lanka were collected through face-to-face interviews in 2013, and associations among the data were estimated using path analysis. Results: Results suggest that resiliency factors that are representative of greater resources generally predicted lower levels of distress and vice versa. Conclusion: Further study informing intervention development with women heading households in Sri Lanka is warranted to better understand which individual, family and community resources are most important to mobilize for sustainable recovery efforts to be successful in the decades following war and natural disaster.

Suggested Citation

  • Alyssa Banford Witting & Jessica Lambert & Thulitha Wickrama & Sivaguru Thanigaseelan & Michael Merten, 2016. "War and disaster in Sri Lanka: Depression, family adjustment and health among women heading households," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 62(5), pages 425-433, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:62:y:2016:i:5:p:425-433
    DOI: 10.1177/0020764016650213
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wickrama, K.A.S. & Wickrama, K.A. Thulitha, 2008. "Family context of mental health risk in Tsunami affected mothers: Findings from a pilot study in Sri Lanka," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(4), pages 994-1007, February.
    2. Betancourt, Theresa S. & Agnew-Blais, Jessica & Gilman, Stephen E. & Williams, David R. & Ellis, B. Heidi, 2010. "Past horrors, present struggles: The role of stigma in the association between war experiences and psychosocial adjustment among former child soldiers in Sierra Leone," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(1), pages 17-26, January.
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    4. Miller, Kenneth E. & Rasmussen, Andrew, 2010. "War exposure, daily stressors, and mental health in conflict and post-conflict settings: Bridging the divide between trauma-focused and psychosocial frameworks," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(1), pages 7-16, January.
    5. Wickrama, K.A.S. & Kaspar, Violet, 2007. "Family context of mental health risk in Tsunami-exposed adolescents: Findings from a pilot study in Sri Lanka," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 713-723, February.
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    1. Jayawickreme, Nuwan & Mootoo, Candace & Fountain, Christine & Rasmussen, Andrew & Jayawickreme, Eranda & Bertuccio, Rebecca F., 2017. "Post-conflict struggles as networks of problems: A network analysis of trauma, daily stressors and psychological distress among Sri Lankan war survivors," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 119-132.

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