Time perspective related to mental health among idp adolescent in Indonesia

Abstract

Background: Conflicts and wars in several areas in Indonesia had caused a large number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and 70% of IDPs are children and women. IDPs adolescent is a vulnerable group of having mental health problem and never have enough attention. Certain kind of time perspective can be affective to avoid mental health problems among forced migrants. With all the limitations attached to IDPs adolescents in Indonesia, there is a concern about the form of time perspective they have and whether it will enable them to fulfill the developmental task properly and continue to live without mental health problem in the future.

Objectives: To quantitatively assess mental health and time perspective of adolescent Internally Displaced Person and Host Population in Indonesia and to qualitatively understand time perspective of Internally Displaced Person adolescents in Indonesia.

Method: Triangulation of methods. Quantitative part is cross sectional study and followed by qualitative in depth interviews. Use questionnaires to obtain data from 67 adolescent IDPs and 62 adolescent host population. Questionnaires were Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire (SDQ) and Circle test. Inclusion criteria are age 12 to 18, live in Ambon city region during the time the study conducted, both gender included and never married. Subjects being selected by simple random sampling.

Results: IDPs are more present past oriented comparing to future oriented HP, but there is no difference in time relatedness between both groups. IDPs are also having more difficulties comparing to HP, especially in emotional symptoms. Factors like migration status, gender and religion have partial significance toward time dominance and mental health problems. There is a significant relationship between time perspective and mental health in which future oriented adolescents have greater difficulties than present-past oriented adolescents. The most problem is coming from emotional symptoms, which dominated by anxiety problems. IDPs have specific understanding in disconnecting time. They seem to emphasize on the present more although still have high hope for future. They do not see themselves as helpless or sick person, and they do not necessarily full of hatred and vengeance which give hope for peace building between Christian-Moslem communities in the future.

Conclusion: IDPs are more likely to have present past oriented time dominance and they have future oriented fear or anxiety. Nevertheless both IDPs and HP are tend to split time and it is important to guide them through the reintegration of time spheres in order to avoid premature reintegration and mental health problems in the later life.