Parental Family Violence and Mental Health among parents and their offspring in the Southern Province, Rwanda

Background Children who witness violence between parents have an elevated risk of developing mental disorders as well as being victims or perpetrator of family violence (FV) in their future relationships when compared with children from non-violent family. Objectives To assess links between both parental FV and mental disorders, and mental disorders in their offspring. Methods One hundred and thirty eight (138) participants dispatched in two categories: spouses/partners (N: 89; 40 Males) and offspring (N: 49; 20 Males) have been recruited from eight District Police Unities (DPU) of the Rwandan Southern Province to participate in this cross-sectional study during a 7 months period. This study used the student “t” to examine the links between parental FV and mental disorders in offspring. Results Parental FV was linked with PTSD, psychopathic and addiction behavior symptoms in offspring. Parental anxious attachment was linked with anxiety and addiction behavior symptoms in offspring and the risk of being perpetrator or victims of FV.  Parental avoidant attachment was linked with depression symptoms in offspring. Further, both parental low self-esteem and PTSD were linked with depression and PTSD symptoms in offspring. Conclusion The results indicate that FV and mental disorders experienced by parents seem to affect offspring’s mental health and generate specific mental disorders. Therefore, the intervention programs should focus on the treatment of both parental and children mental disorders. Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2020;3(3):291-31

Emotions and Feelings as Predictors of Depression and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders among Children and Adolescents with Complete Blindness

 Introduction Although blindness is a detrimental physical condition affecting almost all aspects of the lives of children and adolescents with blindness, little is known about the negative emotions and feelings they express and how they are linked with psychological disorders. Thus, this study aimed at examining the links between negative basic emotions, feelings, depression, and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders (ADHD). Methods Sixty children and adolescents with blindness were selected from HVP Gatagara-Rwamagana. We computed the regression analysis to identify the associations between emotions and feelings and depression and ADHD symptoms. Results Results indicated clinical levels of sadness in 29 of 60 (48.3%), low self-esteem in 27 of 60 (45%), anger in 26 of 60 (43.3%), guilt and shame in 25 of 60) 41.6%, depression in 26 of 60 (43.3%), inattention in 11 of 60 (18.3%) and hyperactivity in 3 of 60 (5%). This study revealed that self-esteem (β = -0.81, p < 0.001), anger (β = 0.76, p < 0.001), sadness (β = 0.75, p < 0.001), low happiness (β = -0.53, p < 0.001), guilt and shame (β = 0.70, p < 0.001) predicted depressive symptoms. Only sadness (β = 0.540, p = 0.04) and anger (β =- 0.556, p = 0.04) were significant predictors of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children with blindness. Conclusion Interventions designed to elevate self-esteem and happiness as well as decrease anger, sadness, shame and guilt are needed for decreasing the risk of depression and ADHD. Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2022;5(3):340-34

Les violences sexuelles sur les mineurs au Rwanda

TOULOUSE2-BUC Mirail (315552102) / SudocSudocFranceF

Héritage traumatique chez les enfants nés du viol pendant le génocide perpétré contre les tutsis au Rwanda en 1994

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Factors of Family Violence in the Southern Province of Rwanda

BackgroundDespite the elevated prevalence and detrimental effects of family violence on survivors in developing countries, little is known about a dimensional empirically based comprehensive structure of family violence.ObjectivesBased on family violence theories, this study aimed to identify factors of family violence in a sample of Rwandans living in all the eight District Police Units of the Southern Rwanda. MethodsA sample of 89 spouses (females = 56.5%, males = 43.5%) were selected to participate in this cross-sectional study. From already existing family violence theories and family violent events lived by participants of this study, a 38-item self-constructed Likert questionnaire (α=0.80) was generated. An exploratory factor analysis approach was used.ResultsThe results showed that two factors mostly influencing violence in family were mainly based on individual issues (i.e. violence as a trauma, insecure attachment, aggressive behaviour learnt, reactive aggression, and learnt helplessness) and family-social issues (i.e. family life cycle and stress, dependency relation, need to maintain power and control, and low material satisfaction). ConclusionsThe results highlight that family violence is a very complex but assessable entity where individual and family-social factors intervene. Future studies should explore such combination in prospective longitudinal studies. Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2022;5(1):9-1

Que deviennent les enfants nés du viol et leur mère vingt ans après le génocide au Rwanda?

Many women found themselves mothers of children born as a result of wartime rape during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. These survivors of the genocide were raped, tortured, and sometimes left for dead by the perpetrators. They afterwards found themselves with unwanted children the very existence of whom often resulted in rejection by the family, resulting in isolation from the community. The children themselves, taken to be the children of the perpetrators, could not benefit from the love and care of a family. Likewise, their mothers were declined the affective support of the social group and the financial support awarded to genocide's children survivors. We went to meet these mothers and the children to find out what these stigmatized families had become twenty years after the massacres. The main goal of the study was to analyze both the fragilities and the psychological and relational resources from which these families currently benefit so as understand the means and the conditions necessary to help the children and their mothers to stand up and rebuild themselves.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

L'identité des enfants issus des viols commis pendant le génocide des tutis au Rwanda

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