Outsiders often despair over the large number of these former child soldiers, calling them a "ticking time bomb".
That's a very pessimistic view, and it's the dominant view,And from what we can see, it's simply not true.
That's a very pessimistic view, and it's the dominant view,And from what we can see, it's simply not true.
The impact of combat on child soldiers are interview-based or medical in nature. They conclude that psychological trauma and social dislocation are the major consequences of child soldiering. But these studies seldom address impacts other than social/psychological and are often anectotal. They seldom use representative samples or address attrition, selection bias or micro-level impacts. Economists and political scientists have produced little theory or evidence on the economic and political consequences of violent conflict.
Psychological impacts appear to be moderate; serious psychological trauma is concentrated in a minority of child soldiers. The average difference in levels of psychological distress between child soldiers and normal kids youth is relatively modest.
10% of former child soldiers suffer debilitating psychological symptoms or have serious problems functioning within their communities.
Since child soldiers lost their education years to combat, they are nearly twice as likely to be functionally illiterate than normal kids.Child soldiers subsequently earn nearly one third less than their non-abducted peers. Work found by child soldiers tends to be of a lower skill and capital-intensity.
Psychological impacts appear to be moderate; serious psychological trauma is concentrated in a minority of child soldiers. The average difference in levels of psychological distress between child soldiers and normal kids youth is relatively modest.
10% of former child soldiers suffer debilitating psychological symptoms or have serious problems functioning within their communities.
Since child soldiers lost their education years to combat, they are nearly twice as likely to be functionally illiterate than normal kids.Child soldiers subsequently earn nearly one third less than their non-abducted peers. Work found by child soldiers tends to be of a lower skill and capital-intensity.