Revista de Estudios Sociales

rev. estud. soc. | eISSN 1900-5180 | ISSN 0123-885X

Comparative Analysis of Behavioral and Emotional Factors among Victim and Non-Victim Populations of the Colombian Armed Conflict

No. 95 (2026-01-31)
https://doi.org/10.7440/res95.2026.02

Abstract

This article compares emotional and behavioral manifestations among individuals who are victims of the armed conflict in Colombia and those who are not. The relevance of this issue lies in the traumatic experiences imposed by the conflict on citizens’ lives and in the ways these experiences give rise to differentiated emotional and behavioral expressions when contrasted with those of people who have not been subjected to victimization. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach with a correla tional design grounded in descriptive analysis, focusing on the most significant aspects of these differentiated manifestations. The sample comprised 100 residents of the municipality of Tuluá, Valle del Cauca: 50 participants were victims of the armed conflict and 50 were non-victims. The research instruments included the Mayer-Salovey- Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), used to assess emotional intelligence responses, and the Constructive Thinking Inventory (CTI), which measures experiential and rational systems. The combined use of these instruments enabled a more nuanced understanding of emotional and behavioral differences between the two populations. Emotional and behavioral factors are analyzed and compared across both groups, contributing to a deeper understanding of the differentiated responses generated by violence and trauma in victims, in contrast with those observed among non-victims. The findings indicate that victims of the armed conflict exhibit a higher incidence of emotional and behavioral impacts than the non-victim population, leading to more intense responses in certain situations.

Keywords: emotions, victims, armed conflict, behavioral

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