Living and Coping with Ongoing Violence

Abstract

The article explores the possibility of analysing the drawings of children aged 8-12 years as a method of understanding the effects of living and coping with ongoing civic unrest. The study took place in 1993 prior to the first democratic election in South Africa in 1994. The drawings of 64 black South African children and 38 white South African children were examined. A comparison group of drawings by 23 children living in West Belfast were included. The `Draw-a-Person' and the `Street Where I Live' were rated by two independent raters on four separate indices, a stress index, an emotional index, an adjustment index and a defence mechanism/coping index. The findings reflect cross-national differences in levels of stress and emotional indicators with Belfast boys showing the highest levels ( p < .05). The manner in which children responded to stress varied with greater anger and aggression ratings for Belfast boys ( p < .01). Overall, girls were more likely to be rated well-adjusted ( p < .01). Differences in adjustment and coping strategies were noted between Belfast boys and black South African boys and are discussed in terms of their hypothesized long-term negative effects. The use of coping mechanisms such as denial and social support were perceived as mediating strategies which could bolster resilience. The advantages and limitations of using drawings as a medium for understanding the effects of living in climates of civic violence are discussed.