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Resilience research with war-affected populations has long conceptualized resilience as the absence of psychopathology and operationalized it by use of standardized measures. However, literature on resilience increasingly highlights the importance of also including indicators of positively valued functioning as well as contextually sensitive indicators of resilience. This study used a participatory approach to examine the contextual conceptualization of youth resilience in the aftermath of war in northern Uganda, as defined by groups of stakeholders (youths, parents, elders, leaders, teachers) in four communities. The results identify 40 indicators covering a multiplicity of domains of functioning. The rationales behind these indicators were clustered into the broad themes: progress, self-reliance, social connectedness, morality, health, and comfort. The findings suggest that positively and negatively valued aspects of functioning are both key to conceptualizing resilience, and indicate the importance of including contextually distinguished indicators. The findings further point to the role of individual and collective processes in the construction of resilience, and to the need to take into account the contexts wherein resilience is conceptualized and observed. This study generated contextually sensitive indicators of young people’s resilience, which can be used, complementary to existing measures of functioning, to provide a more comprehensive and culturally sensitive view of youths’ resilience in the wake of war adversity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Research is needed to understand the effects of violence and armed conflict in low- and middle-income countries, though there are logistical and ethical concerns that should be taken prior to study design. Objective: This paper provides commentary on some of the challenges inherent in conducting research with youth affected by war in low- and middle-income countries. Method: A practical discussion of the need of psychosocial research with youth from low-and middle-income countries, determining priorities for research on violence using a mental health needs assessment, and the importance of service linked to research in low-resource countries. Results and Conclusion: Understanding the practical and ethical concerns of conducting research for youth exposed to violence and armed conflict can assist in producing studies that are powerful tools to advocate for those affected by trauma in low- and middle-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]