Aggression inoculates against PTSD symptom severity : insights from armed groups in the eastern DR Congo

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2013
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European Journal of Psychotraumatology ; 4 (2013), 1. - 20070. - ISSN 2000-8198. - eISSN 2000-8066
Abstract
Background:
In the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), combatants are exposed to massive forms of violence and other traumatic stressors. Nevertheless, many combatants do not suffer from trauma-related disorders, although they have experienced numerous traumatizing events. Perceiving aggressive behavior as fascinating and arousing might be a defense against trauma-related disorders in the violent environment of war and conflict.


Objective:
Thus, in this study we investigated the relationship between the exposure to traumatic stressors, appetitive aggression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity.We hypothesized that cumulative traumatic experiences correlated positively and appetitive aggression negatively with PTSD symptom severity.


Method:
In total, 105 voluntary male combatants from different armed groups in the eastern DRC took part in this study. In a semistructured interview, respondents were questioned about their exposure to traumatic stressors, the extent of appetitive aggression (Appetitive Aggression Scale) and their PTSD symptom severity (PTSD Symptom Scale - Interview).


Results:
Amultiple sequential regression analysis showed that traumatic events were positively related to PTSD symptom severity. For participants with low to medium PTSD symptom severity, appetitive aggression correlated negatively with PTSD symptom severity.


Conclusions:
The results of this study provide further support for earlier findings that repeated exposure to traumatic stressors cumulatively heightens the risk of PTSD and revealed that appetitive aggression buffers the risk of developing PTSD symptoms under certain circumstances. Thus, the perception of aggressive behavior as fascinating and arousing seem to help combatants to adapt to violent environments but may also be one reason for recurrent failure of reintegration programs for excombatants.
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150 Psychology
Keywords
Appetitive aggression,PTSD,defense,building block effect,excombatants,DR Congo
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Cite This
ISO 690HECKER, Tobias, Katharin HERMENAU, Anna MÄDL, Maggie SCHAUER, Thomas ELBERT, 2013. Aggression inoculates against PTSD symptom severity : insights from armed groups in the eastern DR Congo. In: European Journal of Psychotraumatology. 4(1), 20070. ISSN 2000-8198. eISSN 2000-8066. Available under: doi: 10.3402/ejpt.v4i0.20070
BibTex
@article{Hecker2013Aggre-23323,
  year={2013},
  doi={10.3402/ejpt.v4i0.20070},
  title={Aggression inoculates against PTSD symptom severity : insights from armed groups in the eastern DR Congo},
  number={1},
  volume={4},
  issn={2000-8198},
  journal={European Journal of Psychotraumatology},
  author={Hecker, Tobias and Hermenau, Katharin and Mädl, Anna and Schauer, Maggie and Elbert, Thomas},
  note={Article Number: 20070}
}
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    <dcterms:abstract xml:lang="eng">Background:&lt;br /&gt;In the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), combatants are exposed to massive forms of violence and other traumatic stressors. Nevertheless, many combatants do not suffer from trauma-related disorders, although they have experienced numerous traumatizing events. Perceiving aggressive behavior as fascinating and arousing might be a defense against trauma-related disorders in the violent environment of war and conflict.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Objective:&lt;br /&gt;Thus, in this study we investigated the relationship between the exposure to traumatic stressors, appetitive aggression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity.We hypothesized that cumulative traumatic experiences correlated positively and appetitive aggression negatively with PTSD symptom severity.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Method:&lt;br /&gt;In total, 105 voluntary male combatants from different armed groups in the eastern DRC took part in this study. In a semistructured interview, respondents were questioned about their exposure to traumatic stressors, the extent of appetitive aggression (Appetitive Aggression Scale) and their PTSD symptom severity (PTSD Symptom Scale - Interview).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Results:&lt;br /&gt;Amultiple sequential regression analysis showed that traumatic events were positively related to PTSD symptom severity. For participants with low to medium PTSD symptom severity, appetitive aggression correlated negatively with PTSD symptom severity.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Conclusions:&lt;br /&gt;The results of this study provide further support for earlier findings that repeated exposure to traumatic stressors cumulatively heightens the risk of PTSD and revealed that appetitive aggression buffers the risk of developing PTSD symptoms under certain circumstances. Thus, the perception of aggressive behavior as fascinating and arousing seem to help combatants to adapt to violent environments but may also be one reason for recurrent failure of reintegration programs for excombatants.</dcterms:abstract>
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