Research Interests of the CWWPP

Coalition for Work With Psychotrauma and Peace

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Introduction

The aim of this section is to provide a framework for the CWWPP’s research proposals and to give suggestions to students and other researchers as to the issues that we consider to be important.  The issues below were compiled in December, 2006.  We welcome additions.  We are willing and able to mentor ourselves or to find mentors for students and other researchers wishing to work on these issues. 

The CWWPP can, by itself, carry out one or two research projects per year at low levels of funding.  We welcome collaboration and joint funding proposals.

The List 

The order of issues does not necessarily indicate priority for us. 

·         Demographics and physical and mental health epidemiology of the region, particularly with regard to post traumatic stress reactions.  Our feeling is to carry out an initial survey, which has not been done even 12 years after the end of the war, and to repeat it periodically.

·         Level of public knowledge about psychological issues;

o        In general;

o        In relation to post-traumatic stress reactions;

o        How can this be influenced in the particular societies in which we are working?

These issues are crucial to the wellbeing of the population and have not been investigated here.

·         Effects of various treatment methods.

o        Self help groups;

o        Drugs;

o        Psychotherapy/counseling;

o        Economics;

o        Economics and psychotherapy combined;

o        EMDR and various combinations;

o        Psychodrama;

o        Other therapies.

A great deal has been said speculatively about the efficacy and lack thereof of all of these methods.  Field studies are required for the direction of policy in the future.

·         Influence of post-traumatic stress reactions on physical health;

·         Economics and post-traumatic stress reactions:  public perceptions and actual effect of work;

·         Economic effects of the war on society;

o        By economic group;

o        Does economic status have an effect on psychology?

o        Does economics have effects on coexistence and reconciliation in this environment?

·         Public knowledge of human rights;

·         Societal effects of post-traumatic stress reactions;

·         Government policy on post-traumatic stress disorder, especially with regard to  pensions;

o        Does government policy cause maintenance of the post-traumatic stress disorder?

·         Redefinition of post-traumatic stress disorder and reactions;

·         Addiction

o        Interaction between addiction and post-traumatic stress reactions;

o        Treatment first of addiction or post-traumatic stress reaction?

o        Issues surrounding iatrogenic addictions;

·         Suicides;

o        demographics, including people with pensions;

o        factors involved in suicides in this environment;

·         Inter-ethnic disputes in this environment – causes and treatment;

·         Identity

o        Problems in post-violent areas and thus definition of such problems at various levels;

o        Treatment;

o        Influence of identity on coexistence and reconciliation.

·         Coping mechanisms;

o        Definition in various pre-war, intra-war and post-war societies;

o        Does teaching good coping mechanism influence recovery?

o        Does teaching good coping mechanism influence coexistence and reconciliation?

·         Influence of diasporas on pre-war, intra-war and post-war societies;

·         Media;

o        Influence of media on various conflicts;

o        Manipulation of the media by various groups (politicians, etc.);

o        Influence of the media on the development of civil society;

·         Role of the NGOs in the conflict and later;

o        Local NGOs;

o        International NGOs;

·         Role of the IGOs in conflict and recovery;

·         Manipulation by the politicians before, during and after the conflict;

·         Young people;

o        Direct effects of the conflict on young people;

o        Effects of transmission from older people

§         Currently living young people;

§         Future generations;

o        Effects of intervention on young people

§         Economics;

§         Psychological counseling;

§         Combinations of economics and counseling;

§         Other interventions?

·         What happens to young people after they finish school?

o        How many go to university and why or why not?

o        Do they want to emigrate and why or why not?

o        General psychological state of young people.

·         Families

o        Communication within families;

o        Relationships within families;

o        Family violence;

o        Possible interventions within all of these.

o        Relationship of the situation within the family on coexistence and reconciliation.

·         Return

o        Demographics;

o        Security of return;

o        Human and legal rights;

o        Economic status and employment;

o        Barriers to return of minorities;

o        Problems after people return;

o        Integration after return and schemes for intervention;

§         Dependence on place and demographics;

§         Influence of the diaspora on return;

§         Which factors influence return

·         Economic;

·         Ethnic;

·         Governments of country of refuge and country of return;

·         Societies of each of those countries;

·         Influence of life in the past;

·         Experience during the period of the war.

o        Return after a long period (5-10 years or more);

·         Schools

o        Effect of peer counseling;

o        Effects of separation/segregation;

o        Effects of manipulation by politicians, governments, etc.

o        Effect of the media;

·         The combined effects of economics, politics, media and psychology on

o        demographics;

o        the conflict and its resolution;

o        coexistence and reconciliation;

·         Religion

o        Influence on heritage and interaction with it in the local situation;

o        The involvement of religion in politics;

o        The influence of religion on economic integration;

o        The influence of religion on ethnic integration;

o        The change in belief during and after the war at various age levels;

·         Cultural Heritage

o        What is the current situation?

o        What is the role of cultural heritage here during and after the conflict?

·         Missing persons

o        The politicization;

o        The treatment;

·         Civilian victims of war;

o        Demographics and epidemiology on all sides;

o        Effects of interventions;

o        Manipulation;

·         Former soldiers on all sides;

o        Demographics and epidemiology on all sides;

o        Psychological and economic interventions;

o        Manipulation and political role;

·         Integration and Co-Existence

o        Possible Schemes (Complex Rehabilitation);

·         Situation of invalids within these societies;

o        Descriptive analysis

o        Interventions;

o        Politicization.