Psychosocial Factors Influencing Resilience in a Sample of Victims of Armed Conflict in Colombia: A Quantitative Study.

BACKGROUND

This study examines the psychosocial factors influencing resilience in Colombian victims of armed conflict, highlighting the role of personal, family, and community resources in mitigating trauma. Resilience is a dynamic process that enables individuals and communities to adapt to adversity. Given Colombia's prolonged violence and forced displacement, trauma has significantly impacted both physical and emotional health.

METHODS

200 adult conflict victims were recruited through snowball sampling and completed validated scales via a secure online platform. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), the APGAR Family Scale, and the Brief Resilience Coping Scale assessed resilience, social support, and psychological well-being.

RESULTS

Findings indicate that family support was strongly associated with higher resilience, with participants exhibiting higher family support scores (mean = 15.6, SD = 4.47) demonstrating significantly greater resilience ( < 0.001). Additionally, resilient coping strategies (Exp(B) = 0.772, < 0.001) and higher subjective happiness (Exp(B) = 0.864, = 0.001) were identified as key predictors of resilience. Significant correlations were found between resilience and mental health outcomes, with higher resilience linked to lower anxiety (ρ = -0.388, < 0.001) and depression (ρ = -0.388, < 0.001). Education, employment, and socioeconomic status also positively influenced resilience, with individuals with higher educational levels (χ = 21.265, = 0.006) and income (χ = 8.945, = 0.030) showing higher resilience scores. In contrast, alcohol consumption (Exp(B) = 0.813, = 0.014) was negatively associated with resilience.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that resilience in conflict victims is influenced by both individual and social factors. Strengthening family and community support, along with improving coping strategies, is essential for long-term recovery, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to enhance psychosocial well-being in affected populations.