Higher Education Studies in the Restive Areas of Thailand’s Southern Insurgency: A Comparison of Resilience among Students at the Pattani Campus and a Nearby Province
Resilience in Thai Students in Armed Conflict
Abstract
The Prince of Songkla University, Pattani campus is located within the restive areas of Southern Thailand’s insurgency. The violent situations have been continuingly deteriorating since 2004, whilst local civilians; including young people, have undergone different forms of mental distress. Hence, this cross-sectional survey aimed to compare levels, characteristics and associated factors of resilience among university students at the Pattani campus, located in the restive area of Southern Thailand’s insurgency, and a nearby province (Hatyai campus). The study was conducted between 8th August, 2018 and 8th October, 2018, at both Prince of Sonkla University, Pattani and Hatyai campuses. All of the participants completed the personal information, and Thai resilience questionnaires (Thai-RQ) by themselves. The data were analysed using the R program, for both descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Most of the 443 students, who studied at Prince of Songkla University, Pattani campus were females (80.3%) and Muslims (76.3%). Most of them were at a normal level (55.7%), within the domain of resilience, with the highest prevalence, being coping strategy (75.9%). No significantly statistical difference of levels, or characteristics of resilience were found between the two campuses. Satisfaction towards: university teaching, age, religion and birth order were also significantly associated to resilience among university students in the restive area. However, only gender and satisfaction towards university teaching were found in the non-restive campus.
Keywords :
armed conflict,
resilience,
student,
Thailand,
Abstrak
Universiti Prince of Songkla, kampus Pattani terletak di kawasan gencatan pemberontakan Thailand Selatan. Situasi keganasan terus merosot sejak 2004, sedangkan orang awam tempatan; termasuk orang muda, mengalami pelbagai bentuk tekanan jiwa. Oleh itu, tinjauan keratan rentas ini bertujuan untuk membandingkan tahap, ciri dan faktor ketahanan di kalangan pelajar universiti di kampus Pattani serta wilayah berdekatan (kampus Hatyai). Kajian dilakukan dalam tempoh 8 Ogos 2018 hingga ke 8 Oktober 2018, di kedua-dua Universiti Prince of Songkla, kampus Pattani dan Hatyai. Kesemua peserta telah melengkapkan maklumat peribadi, dan soal selidik ketahanan Thai (Thai-RQ). Data yang diperoleh dianalisis menggunakan program R, untuk kedua-dua deskriptif statistik dan regresi logistik. Sebilangan besar daripada 443 pelajar, yang belajar di Prince Universiti Songkla, kampus Pattani merupakan wanita (80.3%) dan Muslim (76.3%) serta kebanyakan mereka berada pada tahap normal (55.7%), dalam domain daya tahan, dengan strategi mengatasi mempunyai kelaziman tertinggi (75.9%). Tiada perbezaan signifikan atau ciri-ciri ketahanan yang ketara dijumpai di antara dua kampus. Kepuasan terhadap pengajaran universiti, usia, agama dan keturunan lahir juga dikaitkan dengan daya tahan di antara pelajar universiti di kawasan gencatan. Walau bagaimanapun, hanya jantina dan kepuasan terhadap pengajaran universiti didapati di kampus yang tidak resah.
Kata Kunci :
ketahanan,
konflik bersenjata,
pelajar,
Thailand,
Correspondance Address
Chonnakarn Jatchavala. Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla Thailand 90110. Tel: +6674451351-2, +66936424992 Email: jchonnak@gmail.com
