The JW-RWA study examined the psychosocial situations of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Rwanda in relation to the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994. It employed a nationwide, cross-sectional survey conducted in 2023 of baptized adult members in congregations of the religious community. The survey instrument was structured around five thematic areas: religious beliefs, general attitudes, Genocide-related experiences, trauma coping strategies, and intergenerational communication. It included both standardized psychometric measures and custom questions adapted to the study population.
To ensure accessibility, the survey was offered through an online-offline platform (KoboToolbox) and supplemented with paper versions for incarcerated individuals (who became Jehovah’s Witnesses mostly through a prison ministry outreach in correctional facilities). Provisions were made for participants with limited literacy or access to electronic devices, including technical support and donated equipment. The survey was translated into Kinyarwanda using a back-translation protocol and field-tested for clarity and cultural relevance.
Ethical considerations were central to the study design. Participation was voluntary and anonymous, and respondents were informed they could skip questions that caused discomfort. Data-cleaning procedures addressed issues such as inconsistent responses and social desirability bias. Analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics. An academic advisory committee of scholars not associated with the religious community reviewed the study design and findings.
The study design provided a framework for examining the intersection of religion, trauma, and recovery in post-conflict settings, while acknowledging the limitations inherent in survey-based research.
