Psychosocial stress in adolescents. Primary data from a longitudinal study about experiencing of the Gulf War.

Developmental Psychology

Authors(s) / Creator(s)

Mansel, Jürgen

Abstract

Examined how changes in the perception and evaluation of risk situations, triggered by the event "the Gulf War", interact with changes in the psychosocial well-being of adolescents. The focus of the study is on the interaction of objective conditions, the interpretation of these interactions by adolescent subjects, and intrapsychic processes.
The data were collected by representative surveys of young people at three time points during and after the Gulf War. Using a questionnaire, sociodemographic characteristics, political orientation, the intensity of experienced fear in the face of a society-produced threat, and the potential consequences of stress were measured (cf. Mansel, 1995). The measurement occasions before and after the Gulf War are part of a larger-scale longitudinal study. The survey during the Gulf War was conducted as an interim survey with a reduced set of variables.
Different results can be derived from the data: Even though almost two-thirds of the adolescents, at least partially, deemed the actions of the U.S. necessary, they were still emotionally upset by the events in the Gulf. This fear is based on the uncertainty and the misgivings that the war would continue to escalate and have serious consequences. Although some young people did not concern themselves with the Gulf War and related events, more than two-thirds of the young people questioned here took part in public campaigns concerning the Gulf War. Under the dominance of the Golf War, the events in other critical areas were, comparatively, of relatively minor concern (cf. Mansel, 1995).
This record includes portions of the data from the measurement occasions before and after the Gulf War and the complete data of the measurement occasion during the Gulf War. Thus, datasets from all 3 measurement occasions are available for 242 adolescents.

Persistent Identifier

https://doi.org/10.5160/psychdata.mljn91be12

Year of Publication

2004

Funding

German Research Foundation within the SFB 227; TP: B1

Citation

Mansel, J. (2004). Psychosocial stress in adolescents. Primary data from a longitudinal study about experiencing of the Gulf War. (Version 1.0.0) [Data and Documentation]. Trier: Research Data Center at ZPID. https://doi.org/10.5160/psychdata.mljn91be12

Study Description

Research Questions/Hypotheses:

Research Design:

Fully Standardized Survey Instrument (provides question formulation and answer options); repeated measurements

Measurement Instruments/Apparatus:

The study used questionnaire data. Test subjects were presented with a largely similar survey instrument at all 3 time points.
In a questionnaire using a closed response format, subjects used a response scale to indicate their agreement or disagreement with each item’s contents. Subjects could choose either “never”, “rarely”, “sometimes” or “frequently” when indicating their current emotional state (Example: “How often do you feel helpless …”) or current physical complaints (Example: “How often did you have the following ailments during the previous 12 months).
A 5-point rating scale spanning between “very unlikely” and “very likely” was used to assess specific probable war events (Example: “In your opinion, how likely is it that more nations will become involved in the Gulf War?”).
Mansel (1995) provides information concerning the procedure.

Data Collection Method:

Data collection in the presence of an experimenter

Group setting (class survey)

Population:

Young people from North Rhine-Westphalia

Survey Time Period:

The investigation was performed at 3 time points:
Measurement time point 1: Autumn 1990 (before the Gulf War)
Measurement time point 2: January 28 – February 7, 1991 (during the Gulf War
Measurement time point 3: Autumn 1991 (after the Gulf War)

Sample:

Multilevel selection procedure: site selection was based on community size and structure as reported via official statistics of North Rhine-Westphalia (metropolitan center in Essen; the urban conglomeration of Bielefeld; rural county of Lippe). Groups were formed based on the school education or vocation training of the representative samples from North Rhine-Westphalia.
At measurement time point 2 (January/February 1991) only young people from Bielefeld were surveyed for the data set.

Gender Distribution:

45,6% female subjects (n=145; zum Messzeitpunkt 1)
51,3% male subjects (n=163; zum Messzeitpunkt 1)

Age Distribution: 11-18 years (at measurement time point 1; 15-19 at measurement time point 3)

Spatial Coverage (Country/Region/City): Germany/North Rhein-Westphalia/Bielefeld

Subject Recruitment:

In-class recruitment

Sample Size:

418 Individuals

Return/Drop Out:

318 subjects measurement time point 1; 333 at time point 2; 332 the time point 3. Subjects were asked at 3 time points. 242 subjects participated in all 3 time points. The remaining number of subjects: Waves 1 and 2: N = 36; Shafts 1 and 3: n = 27; Waves 2 and 3: N = 18; only wave 1: N = 13; only wave 2: N = 37; only wave 3: N = 45.

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