Psychological Problems in Children of War Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Cross-Sectional Study

Klarić, Miro; Frančišković, Tanja; Klarić, Branka; Kvesić, Ante; Kaštelan, Ana; Graovac, Mirjana; Lisica, Ines Diminić

doi:10.3325/cmj.2008.4.491

Cited by 33 publications

(29 citation statements)

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“…PTSD in Vietnam veterans predicted their offspring's behavioral problems (Caselli, 1995). Veterans with war-related PTSD significantly more often reported developmental, behavioral, and emotional problems in their children than veterans without PTSD (Klarić et al, 2008). More than a third of war veterans’ wives were found to meet the criteria for secondary traumatic stress (Francisković et al, 2007) and veterans’ PTSD was related to lower levels of marital adjustment (Klaric et al, 2011).…”

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confidence: 99%

Trauma, mental health, and intergenerational associations in Kosovar Families 11 years after the war

Schick

Morina

Klaghofer

et al. 2013

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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BackgroundWhile there is a considerable amount of literature addressing consequences of trauma in veterans and holocaust survivors, war and postwar civilian populations, particularly children, are still understudied. Evidence regarding intergenerational effects of trauma in families is inconsistent.ObjectiveTo shed light on intergenerational aspects of trauma-related mental health problems among families 11 years after the Kosovo war.MethodIn a cross-sectional study, a paired sample of 51 randomly selected triplets (school-aged child, mother, father, N=153) of Kosovar families was investigated with regard to trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress (UCLA Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale), anxiety (Spence Children's Anxiety Scale, Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25), and depressive symptoms (Depressionsinventar für Kinder und Jugendliche [DIKJ; depression inventory for children and adolescents], Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25).ResultsConsiderable trauma exposure and high prevalence rates of clinically relevant posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms were found in both parents and children. While strong correlations were found between children's depressive symptoms and paternal posttraumatic stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms, maternal symptoms did not correlate with their children's. In multiple regression analyses, only posttraumatic stress symptoms of fathers were significantly related with children's depressive symptoms.ConclusionEleven years after the Kosovo war, the presence of posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in civilian adults and their children is still substantial. As symptoms of parents and children are associated, mental health problems of close ones should be actively screened and accounted for in comprehensive treatment plans, using a systemic approach. Future research should include longitudinal studies conducting multivariate analyses with larger sample sizes in order to investigate indicators, causal and resilience factors.

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

Trauma, mental health, and intergenerational associations in Kosovar Families 11 years after the war

Schick

Morina

Klaghofer

et al. 2013

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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“…This fact could explain the lack of psychopathological differences between the groups since it has been shown that this factor has an indirect impact on psychical development (12). The lack of differences between groups can also be partly explained by the traumas of the other family members, which can be transmitted trans-generationally (22-24).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surviving genocide in Srebrenica during the early childhood and adolescent personality

2013

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AimTo examine how the experience of genocide in Srebrenica in the early childhood (ages 1-5) influences the psychological health in adolescence.MethodsThis study included 100 school-attending adolescents, age 15-16 (born in 1990-91) who were divided in two groups according to the place of residence from 1992-1995: the Srebrenica group – adolescents who lived in Srebrenica during the siege and the non-Srebrenica group who lived in the “free territory,” were not wounded, and experienced no losses. We used the socio-demographic questionnaire created for the purposes of our study and the War Trauma Questionnaire, Posttraumatic Stress Reactions Questionnaire, Self-report Depressive Scale (Zung), Freiburg Personality Inventory, and the Lifestyle Questionnaire.ResultsSrebrenica adolescents experienced significantly more traumatic experiences (14.26 ± 3.11 vs 4.86 ± 3.16, P < 0.001). Although there was no significant difference in the total score of posttraumatic stress reactions and intensity of depression between the two groups, significantly higher scores of posttraumatic stress reaction were noticed for several specific questions. The most prominent defense mechanisms in both groups were projection, intellectualization, and reactive formation. Srebrenica adolescents had higher sociability levels (34.7% vs 16.0%, χ2 = 7.231, P = 0.020).ConclusionSrebrenica adolescents reported significantly more severe PTSD symptoms and significantly greater sociability. Our findings could be used for planning treatment and improving communication and overcoming traumas in war-affected areas.

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“…Souzza and Motta (40) determined in the group of orphans of Vietnam veterans more intensive correlation between intensity of combat exposure and intensity of emotional response. Children of the veterans with high level of combat stress show extended latent emotional effects and there is no significant statistical discrepancy in emotional distress and social development between the children of veterans and children in the control group (41,42,43) More depression and anxiety was found at the orphans of fathers who experienced Vietnam war than at children whose fathers did not have such experience, and more behavioral and emotional problems were determined among those who had such experiences (43,44,45).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…War post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex group of painful and disturbing affective and cognitive reactions, as well as reactions that provoke, have cyclic, self-renewable own flow, which is only occasionally connected to outside world (2). Numerous authors addressed the problems of traumatized veterans and their families 3,4,5). After the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where there are still plenty of traumatized persons (6, 7), psychological trauma has continued in some way (8,9,10).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioral Problems and Emotional Difficulties at Children and Early Adolescents of the Veterans of War with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Selimbašić¹,

Sinanović²,

Avdibegović³

et al. 2016

Med Arh

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Introduction: Behavioral problems and emotional difficulties at children of the veterans of war with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have not been researched entirely. In our country, which has a lot of persons suffering from some psychological traumas, this trauma seems to continue. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the exposure, manifestations of behavioral problems and emotional difficulties at children and early adolescents, whose fathers were the veterans of war demonstrating post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Respondents and methods:The analyzed group comprised 120 school age children (10-15 years of age), whose parents/fathers were the veterans of war. The children were divided into two groups, and each group into the following two age sub-groups: 10-12 (children) and 13-15 (early adolescents) according to PTSD presence at their fathers -veterans of war. PTSD symptoms at fathers, veterans of war, were assessed using the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire-Bosnia and Herzegovina version and MKB-10 -audit of criteria. To assess the behavioral problems of children, the Child Behavior Checklist for parents was used, and to evaluate the neuroticism at children Hanes-Scale of neuroticism-extraversion was used while the depression level was evaluated using the Depression self-rating scale (DSRS). To analyze the obtained results, SPSS 17 program was used. The value p <0. 05 is considered significant. Results: Children of fathers, the veterans of war, demonstrating the PTSD symptoms show more problems in activity, social and school conduct as well as in symptoms of behavioral problems compared to the children whose fathers do not demonstrate the PTSD symptoms (p<0. 001). Children of the war veterans demonstrating the symptoms of the post-traumatic stress disorder show significant difference at neuroticism sub-scales (p<0.001). Negative correlation between PTSD and activity, social and school conduct has been determined (p <0. 01), while positive correlation was determined between PTSD of war veterans with symptoms and neuroticism at children (p <0. 01). Depression symptoms are found at 17.5% children, while 28.3% are in the risky group and the girls demonstrate higher depression level. Conclusion: Children and early adolescents of fathers -veterans of war with post-traumatic stress disorder show significant differences in competencies, behavior, emotional difficulties and neuroticism. Significant correlation was found between psychopathology of parents -fathers the veterans of war and their children. Impact of psychological conditions of fathers -the veterans of war with post-traumatic stress disorder to children is strong and they represent a significant risky group for development of mental disorders.Keywords: behavioral problems, emotional difficulties, children and early adolescents, veterans of war, post-traumatic stress disorder.

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Psychological Problems in Children of War Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract: Veterans with war-related PTSD more often reported developmental problems in their children. Father's PTSD may have long-term and long-lasting consequences on the child's personality.

Cited by 33 publications

References 37 publications

Trauma, mental health, and intergenerational associations in Kosovar Families 11 years after the war

Trauma, mental health, and intergenerational associations in Kosovar Families 11 years after the war

Surviving genocide in Srebrenica during the early childhood and adolescent personality

Behavioral Problems and Emotional Difficulties at Children and Early Adolescents of the Veterans of War with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

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