Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Volume 48, Issue 6 , Pages 587-590 , June 2009

Supporting the Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-Being of Former Child Soldiers

,Accepted 22 January 2009.

References 

  1. Child Soldiers Global Report . London: Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers; 2008;
  2. Wessells MG . Child Soldiers: From Violence to Protection . Cambridge: Harvard University Press; 2006;
  3. Honwana A . Child Soldiers in Africa . Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press; 2006;
  4. McKay S , Mazurana D . Where are the Girls? Girls in Fighting Forces in Northern Uganda, Sierra Leone and Mozambique: Their Lives During and After the War . Montreal: International Centre for Human Rights and Development; 2004;
  5. Betancourt T , Borisova I , Rubin-Smith J , et al.   Psychosocial adjustment and social reintegration of children associated with armed forces and armed groups: The state of the field and future directions. Psychology Beyond Borders Web site . http://psychologybeyondborders.com/userfiles/file/RPCGA%20CAFAAG%20report%20final%JULY%202008.pdf Updated July 11, 2008. Accessed January 5, 2009.
  6. Boothby N , Crawford J , Halperin J . Mozambican child soldier life outcome study: lessons learned on rehabilitation and reintegration efforts . Glob Public Health . 2006;1:87–107
  7. Betancourt T , Williams T . Building an evidence base on mental health interventions for children affected by armed conflict . Intervention . 2008;6:39–56
  8. IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings . Geneva: Inter-Agency Standing Committee; 2007;
  9. Kohrt BA , Jordans MJD , Tol WA , et al.   Comparison of mental health between former child soldiers and children never conscripted by armed groups in Nepal . JAMA . 2008;300:691–702

 In Context is a venue for scholarly contributions from experts on scientific, social, political, and cultural issues pertinent to children's mental health. In Context presents topics that do not immediately fall under the purview of scientific research or clinical practice but that nevertheless affect the lives and mental health of children. Its goal is to educate clinicians and researchers, to encourage discussion, and to foster interdisciplinary collaboration.Dr. Wessells is Professor of Clinical Population and Family Health in the Columbia University Program on Forced Migration and Health and has worked in many war zones for the past two decades developing and evaluating programs that support war-affected children, particularly former child soldiers. He is the author of Child Soldiers: From Violence to Protection.

PII: S0890-8567(09)60086-1

doi: 10.1097/CHI.0b013e3181a1f77b

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Volume 48, Issue 6 , Pages 587-590 , June 2009

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