Understanding PTSD and its comorbidities in the context of armed conflict from a transdiagnostic and complexity approach
People who have experienced armed conflict are at increased risk of developing mental health problems such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety. These problems often occur together, making it difficult to determine which aspects should be prioritized when providing psychological support. This dissertation uses a complexity approach to examine how these problems are connected and how they change during psychological treatment, focusing on people affected by the armed conflict in Colombia.
The findings suggest that some experiences may play a particularly important role in connecting different mental health problems. Feelings of hopelessness, nervousness, trauma memories, emotional numbness, and feelings of fear, anger, and guilt were among the most important experiences identified.
The dissertation also examined how symptoms change during treatment. Across a psychological treatment addressing multiple emotional problems, symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety generally decreased throughout treatment, while others, including nightmares and anger, showed different patterns of change.
Together, these findings suggest that psychological support for people affected by armed conflict may benefit from addressing shared difficulties across mental health problems rather than treating each disorder separately. The findings may contribute to developing accessible mental health services for conflict-affected communities in Colombia and other low- to middle-income countries.