Observatoire Psycavi | Conflits armés et santé psychologique Observatoire PSYCAVI: Conflits armés et santé psychologique
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  • Mission
    Because research helps to understand, support, and build.

    Develop and share the most relevant scientific knowledge regarding the psychological health of populations exposed to armed conflicts and intergroup violence.

    Our Mission
  • Observe
    Our Perspective

    Leaders researching the relationship between emotions and cognition in extreme situations. Because a new perspective is necessary for coexistence.

    Observe
  • Understand
    Research Axes

    Each of our studies focuses on psychological health. We provide significant contributions to the development of a rich pool of knowledge in the rapidly expanding research areas of human cognition and trauma.

    Understand

AXIS 1: Trauma and cognition

These studies paint a picture of exposure to trauma and its impact on psychological health and various cognitive functions, including autobiographical memory, working memory, reasoning, and executive functions.

 

Publications

Long term cognitive correlates of exposure to political violence: Short-term memory in Rwanda twenty years after the genocide

Blanchette, I., Rutembesa, E., Habimana, E. & Caparos, S. (2019). Long term cognitive correlates of exposure to political violence: Short-term memory in Rwanda twenty years after the genocide. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy, 11(2), 147-155. doi: 10.1037/tra0000388

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Twenty years later, the cognitive portrait of openness to reconciliation in Rwanda

Caparos, S., Giroux, S.-V., Rutembesa, E., Habimana, E. & Blanchette, I. (2018). Twenty years later, the cognitive portrait of openness to reconciliation in Rwanda. British Journal of Psychology, 109(2), 362-385. doi:10.1111/bjop.12275

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Intergenerational transmission of trauma and its association with attitudes towards reconciliation in Rwanda

Ingabire, M.C., Caparos, S., Rutembesa, E., Habimana, E., Ndushabandi, E. & Blanchette, I. (submitted). Intergenerational transmission of trauma and its association with attitudes towards reconciliation in Rwanda. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, and Practice.

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The psychological correlates of transitional justice in Rwanda: A long-term assessment

Caparos, S., Rutembesa, E., Habimana, E. & Blanchette, I. (2020). The psychological correlates of transitional justice in Rwanda: A long-term assessment. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 12(7):774-784. doi:10.1037/tra0000583

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Impact of music on working memory in Rwanda

Giroux, S.V., Caparos, S., Gosselin, N., Rutembesa, E., & Blanchette, I. (2020). Impact of music on working memory in Rwanda. Frontiers in Psychology – Cognition. Special Issue: Untangling Cultural Influences on Human Cognition: Integrating Evidence across Cultural Contexts and Methodological Approaches, 11, 774. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00774

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Current Projects

The link between maternal trauma exposure and the cognitive functioning of their children in Rwanda. By Marie Chantal Ingabire

Objective: This study aims to understand the link between symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in mothers and the attitudes of their adult offspring towards reconciliation and psychopathology in survivors of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda. We also sought to examine whether parenting styles influence the relationship between mothers' PTSD symptoms and the psychopathology of their adult offspring, if applicable.

Method: Dyads of mother-child pairs (N = 181) were recruited in Rwanda and completed measures of trauma exposure, PTSD, depression, attitudes towards reconciliation, and parenting styles.

Results: The adult descendants of mothers suffering from more severe PTSD symptoms had less favorable attitudes towards reconciliation, even after statistically controlling for their own PTSD symptoms. The mothers' PTSD symptoms were not associated with PTSD or depression symptoms in their adult offspring. Additionally, mothers' PTSD symptoms did not predict their parenting styles.

Conclusions: These results suggest that the mental health of survivors of mass violence has repercussions on the intergroup attitudes of the next generation. This study has practical implications for the sustainable consolidation of peace in post-conflict societies.

Keywords: PTSD, psychopathology, intergenerational transmission of trauma, attitudes towards reconciliation, parenting styles

 

Impact of sexual violence on cognitive functioning in Congolese women exposed to armed conflicts. By Honnête Kasali

More information will soon be available.

 

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