The social legacies of conflict: The mediating role of mental health with regard to the association between war exposure and social capital of Burundian refugees.

Objective: There is an often-hypothesized link between war exposure and social capital. Empiricalstudies testing this linkage, however, show mixed results. One potential influential factor that mightexplain these mixed results is impaired mental health, which includes a number of symptoms andbehaviors that are associated with impaired social interactions. Method: To examine the influence ofmental health on the relationship between war exposure and social capital, we used a mediationframework. Data were collected from 460 Burundian refugees in three Tanzania refugee camps. Result:Our results showed an overall positive effect of war exposure on social capital. In addition, war exposuremay increase mental health problems (posttraumatic stress symptoms and general psychological distress),which in turn was related to a decline in social capital. Conclusions: Policymakers and scholarsexamining the consequences of war and armed conflict should consider not only the direct effects of warexposure but also the indirect effect of mental health impairments. Treating trauma-related mental healthproblems may not only improve individual well-being but may also improve social capital, influencingthe livelihoods of entire communities affected by armed conflict.