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

Abstract

BackgroundIn 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.ObjectiveThus, 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.MethodIn 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).ResultsA multiple 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.ConclusionsThe 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.

The interplay between trauma, substance abuse and appetitive aggression and its relation to criminal activity among high-risk males in South Africa

“…Moreover, appetitive aggression and the level of perpetrated violence seem to increase with a higher number of traumatic experiences, an effect that has also been reported in previous studies (e.g. Hecker et al, 2013, Weierstall et al, 2012). However, it must be considered that the likelihood of being victimized may also be enhanced by engagement in violent acts, such that this path most likely represents a reciprocal relationship (Fetchenhauer & Rohde, 2002).…”

Social Acknowledgment of Violent Experiences and Its Role in PTSD and Appetitive Aggression Among High-Risk Males in South Africa

“…Yet flowing from the idea that PTSD and appetitive aggression share violence exposure as a common etiology, one explanation could be that PTSD symptoms elicit more social recognition than aggressive ones. It might, however, also be in line with findings of Weierstall, Schalinski, Crombach, Hecker, and Elbert (2012) and Hecker et al (2013), suggesting that appetitive aggression may serve as an antidote to the development of PTSD under certain circumstances. When attending a reintegration program, former offenders are asked to process their past and are confronted with negative consequences of committing violence.…”

Gender differences in response to war-related trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder – a study among the Congolese refugees in Uganda

“…The PSS-I has been shown to have good psychometric properties (e.g., Cronbach's α = .86, inter-rater reliability = .93 [30];. It has also been validated for use in Uganda [24] and has been successfully used in the DRC [31] and with Congolese refugees in Nakivale refugee camp [27,28]. We computed a total sum score for the PTSD symptom severity by adding all item scores.…”