Effects of Civil War on Young Women in Somalia: Exploring the Relationships Between Death Anxiety, Meaning in Life and Self-Esteem

Abstract

Introduction

Wars have had many negative effects on societies, particularly on women, for centuries. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationship between fear of death, meaning of life and self-esteem among young women living in Somalia, where the civil war has continued for many years.

Methods

The study sample consists of 120 female students studying in Mogadishu, Somalia. Data were collected using the ‘Personal Information Form’, ‘Meaning in Life Questionnaire’, ‘Thorson-Powell Fear of Death Scale’ and ‘Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale’.

Results

It was determined that women had a moderate level of fear of death, a low level of self-esteem and a moderate level of life satisfaction. However, the score on the ‘search for meaning’ dimension was slightly lower. The majority of women reported that war had negative effects on women, affecting their pregnancy, childbirth and access to healthcare. They also stated that it affected women's participation in the workforce and social life and that they were subjected to physical, emotional and sexual violence. These findings may pave the way for the development of targeted psychosocial intervention strategies to support the mental health of women living in conflict zones. One particularly noteworthy result is that women experiencing future anxiety tend to have more positive scores in terms of the meaning of life and self-esteem. This result makes an important contribution towards understanding the complex dynamics that affect women's psychological health by emphasizing the novelty of the positive relationship between future anxiety and self-esteem.

Conclusion

The results suggest that the stress, anxiety and traumatic experiences women endure can have significant effects on psychological factors such as the meaning of life, fear of death and self-esteem. As a remarkable result, women experiencing future anxiety tend to have more positive scores in terms of the meaning of life and self-esteem. This result may reflect the complexity of the effects of war. It also suggests that future anxiety can shape individuals' coping mechanisms.