Examining Mental Health, Wellbeing, Attitude towards Wars and Peace; A Comparative Analysis Of Militants And Non-Militants

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between mental health, well-being, and attitudes towards war and peace among militants and non-militants. The research is cross-sectional and correlational, involving 600 participants from North Waziristan, Swat, and Peshawar districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as militants. Participants were assessed using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), the PERMA Profiler for well-being, and an attitude scale towards war and peace. Key hypotheses posit that poor mental health is positively correlated with war-oriented attitudes and negatively correlated with peace-oriented attitudes. Additionally, militants are hypothesized to exhibit higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, and lower levels of well-being compared to nonmilitants. Findings reveal significant positive correlations among depression, anxiety, and stress, and significant negative correlations between mental health measures and well-being. Attitudes towards peace are negatively correlated with mental health indicators, whereas attitudes towards war show minimal correlation. Comparisons between militants and non-militants demonstrate significant differences in anxiety, stress, and overall well-being, with militants displaying poorer mental health and lower well-being. ANOVA results indicate significant differences across groups in mental health measures, well-being domains, and attitudes towards peace and war. Militants score highest in depression, anxiety, and stress, and lowest in well-being and attitudes towards peace.