Ishmeal's Case Study

The traumatic experiences children face when endured as casualties of warfare is devastating this is exasperated by those children who are forced to actively participant as soldiers increasing their risks of physical and psychological repercussions. In addition, children from lower socio-economic environments have higher risk factors for development of post-stress symptoms such as depression, anxiety and behavioral concerns (Vindevogel, 2011). An significant socio-cultural factor in this case is the history of civil war in Sierra Leone. The client mentions stories from his father's days about liberation of the country and unspoken atrocities regarding violence ensued by child soldiers in the past. This political instability leads to cultural fear, mistrust in government and confusion of safety (Betancourt et al., 2010). Additionally, the lack of communication about children and warfare to the children are all contributing factors to the clients transition to soldier of war (Shepler, 2005). All of these issues are seen in the clients experiences throughout. Thus
providing ease to the militia group to manipulate and use children as soldiers. The client shared feeling unsafe in the rehabilitation center without his weapons or violence. Children from lower socioeconomic communities, also show increased resilience and coping mechanisms in warfare zones, these and other complex socio-cultural factors contribute (Guy, 2009). Ishameal finds ease in traveling with minimal resources and is resourceful in surviving the circumstances, nonetheless, this same notion is the driving force to his use of violence as a soldier. The traumatic effects of the experiences of children, like the client is twofold. The client experiences typical war-related trauma of lack of resources, deplorable conditions, lack of any social activities, and focus on simple survival of every day. Also, then the consequences associated with war-related trauma as a soldier and the actions associated with war, similarly seen in adult soldiers. Vindevogel et al. (2011) study showed as well, indirect and direct impacts of this twofold trauma, contributing to enhanced adversities in the children. Challenges around displacement, reintegration, and pessimistic sentiments from society due to the role child soldiers played in their trauma. Numerous aspects of the experiences child soldiers endure can increase risk factors for effective recovery, such as duration of trauma, age, level of violence experienced and caused and the conditions and resources provided throughout. Conflicts of ethical rationale become a deep rooted issue amongst child soldiers.
Often, and as in the clients experienced, children were manipulated into believing and knowing who the enemies of war were and that violence was an answer or solution to the warfare. Use of terminologies further enforcing the notion of who is control and who is the enemy. Once violence was introduced as a means of securing food and supplies for survival, Ishmeal begins associating his own people as civilians and his the soldier maintaining order. Later, this confusion extrapolates feelings of guilt when the realization of their actions. As discussed during the intervention section these conditions require therapy to be more individualized, rather than structural and greater care taken to the reintegration process both by the child and the community in which they transition into (Vindevogal, 2011, Bentancourt et al.,
2010).