Manuela Post

Bio: Manuela Post is an academic researcher from University of Hamburg. The author has contributed to research in topics: Psychological resilience & Psychological trauma. The author has an hindex of 2, co-authored 2 publications receiving 198 citations.

Posttraumatic Resilience in Former Ugandan Child Soldiers

Abstract: The present research examines posttraumatic resilience in extremely exposed children and adolescents based on interviews with 330 former Ugandan child soldiers (age = 11-17, female = 48.5%). Despite severe trauma exposure, 27.6% showed posttraumatic resilience as indicated by the absence of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and clinically significant behavioral and emotional problems. Among these former child soldiers, posttraumatic resilience was associated with lower exposure to domestic violence, lower guilt cognitions, less motivation to seek revenge, better socioeconomic situation in the family, and more perceived spiritual support. Among the youth with significant psychopathology, many of them had symptoms extending beyond the criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder, in keeping with the emerging concept of developmental trauma disorder. Implications for future research, intervention, and policy are discussed.

[Guiltless guilty--trauma-related guilt and posttraumatic stress disorder in former Ugandan child soldiers].

Abstract: Trotz internationaler Verbote werden weltweit mehr als 250.000 Kinder und Jugendliche als Soldaten ausgebeutet, nahezu die Halfte von ihnen in Afrika. Die betroffenen Kinder werden dabei Opfer massiver Gewalt und haufig gezwungen, Graueltaten an anderen zu veruben. In der vorliegenden Untersuchung wurden 330 ehemalige Kindersoldaten (11-17 Jahre, 48,5 % Madchen) in Nord-Uganda zu traumatisierenden Erlebnissen, Schuldempfinden und Symptomen der Posttraumatischen Belastungsstorung (PTBS) befragt. Schuldaffekte und -kognitionen wurden mit Hilfe des Trauma-related Guilt Inventory (TRGI) und PTBS mittels eines diagnostischen Interviews (MINI-KID) erhoben. Die an der Studie teilnehmenden Kinder waren zum Zeitpunkt des Eintritts in die bewaffnete Gruppe 10,7 Jahre alt und wurden durchschnittlich 19,8 Monate als Kindersoldaten eingesetzt. Wahrend dieser Zeit waren die Kinder vielen traumatisierenden Erlebnissen ausgesetzt. Beispielsweise hatten 86,4 % Totungen von Menschen mit ansehen mussen, 87,9 % wurden mit dem eigenen Tod bedroht, 52,6 % mussten selbst andere Menschen toten und 25,8 % wurden vergewaltigt. Insgesamt erfullten 33 % der untersuchten Kinder die diagnostischen Kriterien fur PTBS. Starkere Schuldkognitionen hingen signifikant mit der Ausbildung einer posttraumatischen Belastungsstorung zusammen. Die vorliegenden Ergebnisse haben Implikationen fur die Entwicklung von klinischen Interventionen fur kriegstraumatisierte Kinder. Schlagworter Kindersoldaten – Trauma – Posttraumatische Belastungsstorung – Schuldempfinden – Uganda 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. Keywords child soldiers – trauma – posttraumatic stress disorder – guilt – Uganda

Child Development in the Context of Disaster, War, and Terrorism: Pathways of Risk and Resilience

Abstract: This review highlights progress over the past decade in research on the effects of mass trauma experiences on children and youth, focusing on natural disasters, war, and terrorism. Conceptual advances are reviewed in terms of prevailing risk and resilience frameworks that guide basic and translational research. Recent evidence on common components of these models is evaluated, including dose effects, mediators and moderators, and the individual or contextual differences that predict risk or resilience. New research horizons with profound implications for health and well-being are discussed, particularly in relation to plausible models for biological embedding of extreme stress. Strong consistencies are noted in this literature, suggesting guidelines for disaster preparedness and response. At the same time, there is a notable shortage of evidence on effective interventions for child and youth victims. Practical and theory-informative research on strategies to protect children and youth victims and promote their resilience is a global priority.

Annual Research Review: What is resilience within the social ecology of human development?

Abstract: Background: The development of Bronfenbrenner’s bio-social-ecological systems model of human development parallels advances made to the theory of resilience that progressively moved from a more in ...

Gender Differences in Self-Conscious Emotional Experience: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract: The self-conscious emotions (SCE) of guilt, shame, pride, and embarrassment are moral emotions, which motivate adherence to social norms and personal standards and emerge in early childhood following the development of self-awareness. Gender stereotypes of emotion maintain that women experience more guilt, shame, and embarrassment but that men experience more pride. To estimate the magnitude of gender differences in SCE experience and to determine the circumstances under which these gender differences vary, we meta-analyzed 697 effect sizes representing 236,304 individual ratings of SCE states and traits from 382 journal articles, dissertations, and unpublished data sets. Guilt (d = -0.27) and shame (d = -0.29) displayed small gender differences, whereas embarrassment (d = -0.08), authentic pride (d = -0.01), and hubristic pride (d = 0.09) showed gender similarities. Similar to previous findings of ethnic variations in gender differences in other psychological variables, gender differences in shame and guilt were significant only for White samples or samples with unspecified ethnicity. We found larger gender gaps in shame with trait (vs. state) scales, and in guilt and shame with situation- and scenario-based (vs. adjective- and statement-based) items, consistent with predictions that such scales and items tend to tap into global, nonspecific assessments of the self and thus reflect self-stereotyping and gender role assimilative effects. Gender differences in SCE about domains such as the body, sex, and food or eating tended to be larger than gender differences in SCE about other domains. These findings contribute to the literature demonstrating that blanket stereotypes about women's greater emotionality are inaccurate.