@article{ref1,
title="Explosive anger as a response to human rights violations in post-conflict Timor-Leste",
journal="Social science and medicine (1982)",
year="2009",
author="Silove, D. and Brooks, Robert and Bateman Steel, Catherine Robina and Steel, Zachary and Hewage, Kalhari and Rodger, James and Soosay, Ian",
volume="69",
number="5",
pages="670-677",
abstract="Over several decades, clinicians have documented a pattern of explosive anger amongst survivors of gross human rights violations. Yet there is a dearth of epidemiological research investigating explosive anger in post-conflict countries. In the present study undertaken in Timor-Leste between March and November 2004, we identified an indigenous descriptor for explosive anger, including this index in the East Timor Mental Health Epidemiological Needs Study, a small area total population survey of 1544 adults living in an urban and a rural area. Other measures included indices of past trauma events, post-traumatic stress and general psychological distress, and socio-demographic variables. We found that 38% of the population reached the defined threshold of one attack of explosive anger a month (average=1 episode every 2-3 days). Only a minority of persons with explosive anger reached threshold scores for post-traumatic stress and general psychological distress. High levels of trauma exposure represented the strongest predictor of explosive anger. Latent class analysis identified three sub-groups with explosive anger: young trauma-affected adults living in the capital city who were unemployed; an older group, predominantly men, who had experienced extensive violence, including combat, assault and torture; and a less well characterized group of women. The findings offer support for a sequential model of explosive anger in which experiences of past persecution are compounded by frustrations in the post-conflict environment. The data provide a foundation for exploring further the role of trauma-induced anger in the cycles of violence that are prevalent in post-conflict countries.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0277-9536",
doi="10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.06.030",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.06.030"
}