War experiences, daily stressors and mental health five years on: elaborations and future directions

In this paper, the authors elaborate on a model proposed in 2010 that identifies major sources of stress affecting mental health among war affected populations. That model emphasised the importance of what was termed ‘daily stressors’, as well as direct exposure to war related violence as predictors of mental health status The authors first summarise the original model and discuss the widespread response to the 2010 paper among researchers and practitioners working in conflict and post conflict settings. Then, the authors expand on the model, suggesting that, like the trauma focused model it was meant to improve upon, the proposed 2010 model still presents an overly static view of the experience of living through organised violence. A transactional version of the model is now proposed, which the authors believe more closely approximates the lived experience of war and the multiple sources of stress it entails. Implications of this transactional model, and possible directions for future research and practice, are suggested.