National Psychotrauma Conference 2025

Personal Anxiety, Intergroup Anxiety, and Perceived Threat Serially Mediate the Relationship Between Conflict Exposure and Aversive Attitudes Towards the Outgroup

ABSTRACT

Exposure to conflict extensively contributes to unfavorable attitudes toward outgroups. The stress-based model of political extremism explains this by psychological distress and perceived threat, yet it primarily assumes distress is personal, overlooking the crucial role of intergroup distress. This oversight is significant, as intergroup distress (i.e., anxiety)–apprehension during or anticipating outgroup interactions–independently intensifies perceived threat and fosters aversive attitudes. To fill this gap, this study extends the stress-based model by including personal and intergroup anxiety as serial mediators. We propose that personal anxiety increases intergroup anxiety, which in turn boosts perceived threat, ultimately leading to adverse outgroup attitudes. A sample of 943 conflict-exposed individuals completed scales measuring conflict exposure, personal and intergroup anxiety, perceived threat, and aversive attitudes toward the outgroup. The findings confirm that
personal anxiety, intergroup anxiety, and perceived threat serially mediate the relationship between conflict exposure and the development of aversive attitudes towards outgroups. This refined model offers a more nuanced understanding of the psychological pathways linking conflict exposure to aversive attitudes by differentiating psychological distress into personal and intergroup anxiety. By implication, the findings underscore the importance of developing interventions that address both individual-level distress and intergroup-specific distress to mitigate the perceived threat and, subsequently, the formation of negative intergroup attitudes towards the outgroup.

by
Annie Rose C. Cadeliña, Ph.D.
Faculty, Department of Sociology-Anthropology
Mindanao State University
Marawi City
rose.cadelina@msumain.edu.ph

Josefina M. Tabudlong, Ph.D.
Retired Faculty, Department of Sociology
Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology
Iligan City
josefina.tabudlong@g.msuiit.edu.ph

Abstract

Clan feuds, or rido, significantly affect social stability and well-being of women in Lanao del Sur, Philippines. This study investigated the severity of clan feuds’ impact on the social well-being of Meranaw women. Previous research emphasized the historical prevalence of clan feuds but the specific effects on women's social dynamics remain underexplored. Participants’ informed consent was obtained through the assistance of the research ethics committee of Mindanao State University, Marawi City. Employing a mixed-methods design, data were gathered among 89 purposively selected Meranaw women through structured survey utilizing questionnaire, multidimensional scale, and a researcher-developed instrument measuring clan feud severity based on Significance, Aggression, Frequency, and Escalation (S.A.F.E). Qualitative insights were collected through in-depth interviews that revealed nuanced understanding of participants' lived experiences. Findings from ordinal logistic regression analysis confirmed that both the severity of clan feuds and perceived social support are significant predictors of social well-being among Meranaw women. Results indicate that women exposed to lower-severity clan feuds report significantly higher social well-being, while those experiencing more severe conflicts exhibit lower well-being. Additionally, perceived social support emerged as a crucial predictor, with women receiving strong support from family, friends, or communities achieving better social outcomes. These findings underscore the need to enhance social support networks to mitigate the adverse effects of clan feuds on Meranaw women’s well-being, suggesting future research on community interventions and policy initiatives aimed at resolving clan feuds and advocating for women's rights.

Key Words: clan feuds, severity, impact, women’s social stability, support system

The psychological processes through which conflict exposure shapes conflict-supporting beliefs remain insufficiently understood, particularly in contexts of protracted intergroup conflict. To address this gap, we examined the mediating role of posttraumatic stress and depression in the relationship between conflict exposure and ethos of conflict, as well as the moderating influence of intergroup contact. Using data from 612 Moro adults in the southern Philippines who had experienced political violence, results revealed that greater conflict exposure was associated with higher levels of posttraumatic stress and depression, which in turn predicted stronger endorsement of ethos of conflict. Unexpectedly, intergroup contact amplified—rather than reduced—these indirect effects, indicating that contact under conditions of unresolved conflict can reinforce rather than diminish the ethos of conflict. These findings suggest that mental health distress may transform contact into a mechanism that sustains conflict attitudes, highlighting the importance of addressing trauma and depression as a precursor to contact-based peacebuilding interventions. Conceptualizing intergroup contact within a mental health framework offers a more nuanced understanding of when and how contact can either promote reconciliation or entrench divisions.

Previous research has established that interactions among historically opposed racial groups can reduce bias and improve intergroup relations. However, the specific mechanisms facilitating these interactions remain underexplored. This study addresses this scarcity of literature by examining how conflict exposure facilitates the increase of intergroup contact through the association between cognitive reappraisal and peace-supporting attitudes. Utilizing a sample of 612 conflict-explored respondents, the results revealed that cognitive reappraisal and willingness to compromise (model 1), cognitive reappraisal and conciliatory attitude (model 2), and cognitive reappraisal and support and concession (model 3) serially mediate the relationship between conflict exposure and intergroup contact. These findings suggest that those who have experienced the distress brought about by conflict are likely to utilize cognitive reappraisal strategy of which eventually leads to the development of peace-supporting attitudes and ultimately, increase intergroup contact. This study highlights the importance of psychosocial mechanisms in transforming conflict exposure and experiences into enhancement of intergroup relationships in the context of a protracted political violence.
Keywords: cognitive reappraisal, peace-supporting attitudes, conflict exposure, intergroup contact