A description of the mental health and copying strategies in victims of assault with a weapon in the city of Medellín (Colombia)

Abstract

The study looked to describe the state of mental health and coping strategies expressed during and after assault with a deadly weapon, from October 2006 to March 2007, in the city of Medellin, Colombia. Participants were 50 adults differentiated by sex. The clinical interview International Neuropsychiatric Inventory (MINI), and the protocol of characterization of assault with a deadly weapon designed by the researchers, were applied to the victims. Comparisons with averages of males and females were made, in relation to mental health and coping strategies used during and after the assault. There were no significant differences in clinical symptoms between men and women, who showed state health perturbations with symptoms of post traumatic stress and anguish disorders sometimes in life. Differences were found in copying strategies during and after assault; during assault women reactions were immobility and/or silence, men reactions were physical or verbal aggression; after assault women requested for psychological support and company while men used security devices.

Keywords

• Assault
• mental health
• copying strategies.