University of Ulster Report highlights the Increasing Trans-generational Impact of the Troubles on Mental Health
The findings from the research project established that the social, political and economic legacy of the conflict was complex, wide ranging and multidimensional. However, despite this, most people in Northern Ireland, including those who have directly witnessed the years of violence, suffered no, or minimal, long term mental health disorders. In fact, many of those exposed to traumatic experiences responded with notable levels of resilience and, with time, processed their experiences and went on to live fulfilling, meaningful lives. This research revealed that the group of people with few adverse mental health difficulties or adversities represents around 71.5% of the population. However, the mental health difficulties of at least half of the remaining 28.5% appear to be directly related to the Troubles. Based on an adult population figure of 1.5 million, this equates to around 213,000 adults. These figures are based on robust, internationally comparable data, adopting the same criteria for mental disorders as used by psychiatrists and point to the Troubles as a significant and distinctive stressor in the life of the community in Northern Ireland, over many years to circa 1968 to the present).
Traumatic experiences and exposure to violence can lead to adverse mental health and other consequences not only for the person themselves, but also for their children and potentially, their grandchildren, resulting in a trans-generational cycle which impacts upon the well-being of subsequent generations. Specifically, the effects of violence, traumatic experiences and social segregation impact upon parenting practices which affect early attachment and the capacity of the child to self-regulate. Self-regulation difficulties increase the person’s risk of mental disorders, behavioural problems and suicide. They also affect how that person engages with their own children when they become a parent. The accumulation of childhood toxic stress, resulting from negative parenting behaviours, exposure to violence and the use of harsh punishment, is associated with adverse mental health outcomes. Social deprivation and poverty serve to exacerbate the mental health impact of the consequences of the conflict.
Opportunities for each of us to develop, amongst other things, effective and meaningful attachments, are very important matters for societies concerned with promoting the development of children and maximising their potential as adults. Failure to do so by the age of four years has been shown time and again to increase risks in adult life across a range of indicators such as development, educational attainment, average income, health (physical and mental) and adverse engagement with the criminal justice system. These studies suggest that investments in child development (which includes services for children, parents and other carers), for adolescents and young adults are for any society, an obvious priority.
Self-regulation difficulties which may arise as a result of poor attachments and toxic stress, increase the person’s risk of mental disorders, behavioural problems and suicide. They also affect how that person engages with their own children when they become a parent. The accumulation of childhood toxic stress, resulting from negative parenting behaviours, exposure to violence and the use of harsh punishment, is associated with adverse mental health outcomes. Social deprivation and poverty serve to exacerbate the mental health impact of adverse events in the life of a family, including the consequences of the conflict. Many of the services currently offered by the statutory and non-statutory sectors to address the mental health needs of those affected by the Troubles, match the recommended interventions for people with mild to moderate mental disorders. Statutory services (and some non-statutory services) also provide a range of treatments for people with moderate to severe mental health problems and functional impairment. There is significant concern however, about the level of unmet need and the potential for the trans-generational transmission of the impact of the conflict’s legacy that results from this unmet need. The Northern Ireland Study of Health and Stress found that approximately 40% of those people with a mental disorder received treatment. Therefore, potentially 60% of the population (up to 127,800 adults) with mental health problems directly related to the Troubles have not received treatment.
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