Base des données Joëlle

Data for the article : War trauma and psychomotor Developmental Disorders in Children Aged 6 to 12 in Lubumbashi: A comparative Study
Abstract
Introduction
Ongoing armed conflicts in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have caused massive population displacement, exposing many children to direct or indirect traumatic experiences. While the psychological consequences of such exposures are well-documented, their impact on psychomotor development remains underexplored, particularly in African contexts characterized by chronic and prolonged violence.

Objective
This study aimed to compared the psychomotor development of displaced children living in Lubumbashi according to their type of war trauma exposure (direct, indirect, or no exposure) and to examine the potential moderating role of factors such as schooling and parental support.

Method
The sample included 300 children aged 6 to 12 years (M=9.55;SD=2.06), divided into three equally sized groups (n=100) based their level of trauma exposure. Exposure to war-related events was assessed using a life events scale, allowing categorization into direct exposure, indirect exposure, or no trauma. Psychomotor development was measured using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd edition (M-ABC-2). Initial group comparisons were conducted using chi-square tests for categorical variables (sex, school attendance, parental support) statistical analyses included a robust analysis of variance based on 20% trimmed means, robust post hoc comparisons (Yuen’s test), and multivariate linear regression with robust standards errors, controlling for age, school attendance, and parental support. All analyses were conducted using R software (version4.2.3).
Results
Psychomotor development scores differed significantly according to type of trauma exposure (F(2,111.89)=458.9;p<0.001), with a very large effect size (η² = 0.93). Children exposed to direct or indirect trauma showed significantly lower psychomotor scores than non-exposed children (p<0.001). no significant difference was observed between direct and indirect exposure (p = 0.11). Multivariate analysis confirmed that trauma exposure was the main predictor of psychomotor difficulties, independent of age (p = 0.13), schooling ( p = 0.95), and parental support (p = 0.74), none of which showed a significant moderating effect.