Influence of reconciliation programmes on the reconciliation attitudes of war-affected adolescents in Northern Uganda

Authors

  • Benjamin Alipanga
  • Maarten De Schryver
  • Stella Neema
  • Eric Broekaert
  • Ilse Derluyn

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21825/af.v29i1.4840

Abstract

Whether post-conflict reconciliation programmes are able to change hostile behaviours is not known. This study sought to assess the influence of reconciliation programmes on the reconciliation attitudes of war-affected adolescents in two communities in Northern Uganda. Four hundred and forty five adolescents within two communities, one with and the other without interventions were assessed for exposure to war-related and daily stressors and place of residence using hierar- chical regression analysis to predict reconciliation attitudes. Adolescents in the non-intervention community recorded more positive and also more negative reconciliation attitudes; exposure to daily and war-related stressors was more positively associated with increasing reconciliation attitudes among adolescents in the non-intervention than those in the intervention community. Overall the programmes recorded limited impact on reconciliation attitudes, perhaps due to the pervasive adverse social situation of the people. Conclusion: there is a need for multi-pronged, collaborative programme efforts targeting holistic recovery programmes with focus on changing negative reconciliation attitudes. Key words: reconciliation attitudes, reconciliation programmes, war-affected adolescents, Northern Uganda 

Author Biographies

Benjamin Alipanga

(1)  Department of Mental Health and Community Psychology, Makerere University, Uganda (2)  Department of Social Work and Social Pedagogy and Centre for Children in Vulnerable Situations, Ghent University, Belgium 

Maarten De Schryver

Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology Ghent University, Belgium 

Stella Neema

Department of Sociology, Makerere University, Uganda 

Eric Broekaert

Department of Orthopedagogics, Ghent University, Belgium 

Ilse Derluyn

Department of Social Work and Social Pedagogy and Centre for Children in Vulnerable Situations, Ghent University, Belgium 

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Published

2016-02-05

How to Cite

Alipanga, B., De Schryver, M., Neema, S., Broekaert, E., & Derluyn, I. (2016). Influence of reconciliation programmes on the reconciliation attitudes of war-affected adolescents in Northern Uganda. frika ocus, 29(1). https://doi.org/10.21825/af.v29i1.4840

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Articles