Gambling, Family Dysfunction and Psychological Disorders: A Cross- Sectional Study.

The present study aimed to identify predictors and effects of problem gambling and examine the moderating role of family dysfunction between problem gambling and its effects. A sample of 104 gamblers (all were men, Mean = 26.2, SD = 6.8), was recruited from gambling venues in an urban area of Musanze district, Northern Province of Rwanda. Participants were aged above the legal age of 16 years. Data were collected using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), the Brief Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (Brief MAST), Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10), the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), the Big Five Inventory (BFI), the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and the Family Dysfunction Test. SPSS (version22) was used to carry out all statistical analyses. Results showed that personality traits predicted problem gambling. Additionally, problem gambling was associated with alcohol use, drug abuse, sleep deprivation, antisocial tendency and family dysfunction. Family dysfunction moderated the effects of problem gambling on drug abuse, alcohol use and sleep deprivation. Gambling is a complex but assessable phenomenon and future studies may explore further its correlates.

The mediating role of anxiety between negative feelings and depression among students with congenital physical disabilities.

Congenital physical disability is associated with various psychological challenges, including negative feelings, anxiety, and stress. These challenges will, in turn, predict significant negative emotional well-being among students with congenital physical disabilities, but the mechanisms of these effects are not well known. This study examined whether Negative Emotional Wellbeing Anxiety (NEWA) would mediate the effect of Negative Feelings (NF) and Negative Emotional Wellbeing Depression (NEWD) among students with congenital physical disabilities. Forty-six students with congenital physical disabilities (mean age: 20 years, SD = 2.05; 45.65% females) completed self-rating measures that included sociodemographic variables (age and sex), emotional state for Children to assess negative feelings, and an emotional distress protocol to assess NEWA and NEWD. Results show that NF was positively correlated with NEWA (r = .69, p < .001) and NEWD (r = .69, p < .001), and NEWA was positively correlated with NEWD (r = .86, p < .001). Findings further reported that NEWA significantly mediated the positive relationship between NF and NEWD (a*b = .37, Bootstrap CI95 = .23 and .52) [Sobel test statistic of 4.82 (p < .001)] among students with congenital physical disabilities. The results highlight the importance of screening students with congenital physical disabilities for common psychological challenges and providing suitable interventions.

Perceptions of the Intervention Utility and Effectiveness in Supporting and Reintegrating Youths Born of Genocidal Rape in Rwanda.

Background: Birth through genocidal rape has a detrimental impact on the health of the offspring; however, there is scarce literature that focuses on efforts to support and reintegrate people born of this crime due to the lack of needs assessments that can inform policies and interventions. Objective: This study sought to explore perceptions of the intervention utility and effectiveness in supporting and reintegrating offspring born of the 1994 genocidal rape against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Methods: A purposive sample of 16 dyads of non-partnered mothers raped in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and their offspring participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews. The transcribed interview verbatims were uploaded to NVivo 12 and analyzed inductively using thematic analysis. Results: The analysis resulted in several subthemes that were grouped into four main themes based on research questions. These themes included the reconstruction of a positive image (ie, hardworking, contribution to the community, supporting vulnerable people, etc.), the benefits of collaborating with peers in a similar situation (ie, a sense of belonging, self-acceptance, relieving distress and emotional pain, etc.), the support obtained from Survivors Fund Rwanda (ie, psychosocial support, financial support for school fees, support to get a job), and the intervention and strategies needed (ie, continuous psychosocial support, catch-up learning programs, accompaniment support, advocacy to get a job, supporting the parents, etc.). Conclusion: Our results highlight how the youth born of genocidal rape are reconstructing a positive image and self-advocacy, their perception of obtained support, and the recommended intervention. These findings will help in initiating or strengthening interventions targeting this population, especially strategies to support and reintegrate them.

Mental disorders and substance abuse among Rwandan university students: the moderating effects of interpersonal violence.

Background: There is an abundance of evidence suggesting that interpersonal violence commonly co-occurs with mental disorders and substance abuse. Interpersonal violence is one of the most well-documented and salient factors of mental disorders and substance abuse; however, there are no studies investigating the moderating role of interpersonal violence in post-conflict Rwanda. Objective: The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between mental disorders and substance abuse among Rwandan university students, and whether the role of interpersonal violence is a moderating factor. Method: A purposive sample of 143 undergraduate university students (mean age = 22.4 years, SD = 2.6) from University of Rwanda-Remera Campus were selected for participation in this cross-sectional study. We used linear regression analysis to examine the relationships between mental disorders, substance abuse and interpersonal violence. Results: Substance abuse was significantly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and interpersonal violence. Interpersonal violence was a significant moderator of the associations between PTSD symptoms (ß = 0.43, p < 0.001), anxiety symptoms (ß = 0.47, p < 0.001), depressive symptoms (ß = 0.48, p < 0.001) and substance use. Conclusion: The results imply that PTSD, depression and anxiety symptoms are associated with increased risk of substance abuse, and this risk appears to become substantially more elevated when there are also current or historic reports of interpersonal violence.

Antecedentes: Existe una gran cantidad de evidencia que sugiere que la violencia interpersonal comúnmente coexiste con los trastornos mentales y el abuso de sustancias. La violencia interpersonal es uno de los factores relativos a los trastornos mentales y el abuso de sustancias más destacado y mejor documentado; sin embargo, no hay estudios que investiguen el papel moderador de la violencia interpersonal posterior al conflicto de Ruanda.Objetivos: El objetivo del presente estudio fue explorar la relación entre los trastornos mentales y el abuso de sustancias entre los estudiantes universitarios ruandeses, y si el papel de la violencia interpersonal es un factor moderador.Métodos: Se seleccionó una muestra intencional de 143 estudiantes universitarios de pregrado (edad media = 22,4, DE = 2,6) del Campus de la Universidad de Ruanda-Remera para participar en este estudio transversal. Utilizamos el análisis de regresión lineal para examinar las relaciones entre los trastornos mentales, el abuso de sustancias y la violencia interpersonal.Resultados: El abuso de sustancias se asoció significativamente con TEPT, ansiedad, depresión y violencia interpersonal. La violencia interpersonal fue un moderador significativo de las asociaciones entre los síntomas de TEPT (ß=.43, p<0.001), síntomas de ansiedad (ß=.47, p<0.001), síntomas depresivos (ß=.48, p<0.001 y abuso de sustancias.Conclusión: Los resultados implican que los síntomas de TEPT, depresión y ansiedad están asociados con un mayor riesgo de abuso de sustancias, y estos riesgos parecen ser sustancialmente más elevados cuando también hay reportes actuales o históricos de violencia interpersonal.