Self-image, war psychotrauma and refugee status in adolescents

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess how war psychotrauma, refugee status and other factors relate to self-image. Psychotherapeutic-psychiatric interview, the Offer Self-Image Questionnaire (OSIQ), questionnaires for measuring war stressors, posttraumatic stress reactions (PTS-reactions), depression and general data were administered. A total of 322 adolescents from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia were included in the study. In 60.32% of the examinees, more than four war stressors were encountered. In 13.68% of the examinees, high PTS-reactions occurred. The refugees had nearly four times higher odds (aOR=3.66; 95% CI=1.63-8.2; p<0.01) of having a higher Offer score for the sexual attitudes subscale. Lower war stress had 0.28 times lower odds (aOR=0.28; 95% CI=0.11-0.71; p<0.01) of having a higher Offer score for the sexual attitudes subscale. More severe PTS-reactions had six times higher odds (aOR=6.15; 95% CI=1.7-22.2; p<0.01) of reaching a higher Offer score for the emotional tone subscale. War psychotrauma and refugee status are related to poorer adjustment only in some of the OSIQ subscales. Practical measures of joined sexually preventive/therapeutic activities are proposed, as well as educational and preventive/therapeutic psychotrauma models.

Expressive group counseling as a model for increasing self-awareness to reduce trauma symptoms experienced by children in Palestine

“…In an attempt to assess war trauma, refugee status and other factors related to self-awareness, Begovac (2004) studied a sample of children from Bosnia, Herzegovina and Croatia who suffered from war trauma. Results of this study showed that (60.32%) of the examinees had low level of self awareness, and (13.68%) of the participants in this study had psychological problems related to trauma.…”

Self-concept and Dating Violence in 220 Adolescent Girls in the Child Protective System

“…Self-perception of adolescent at-risk populations has been recently investigated in relation to numerous psychological processes, such as depression (Korhonen, Laukkanen, Peiponen, Lehtonen, & Viinamäki, 2001), suicidal ideation (Ç etin, 2001), adaptation to divorce (Dunlop, Burns, & Bermingham, 2001), eating disorders (Erkolahti, Ilonen, Saarijärvi, & Terho, 2003), and war-related psychotrauma (Begovac, Rudan, Begovac, Vidovic, & Majic, 2004). To our knowledge, the link between self-concept and dating violence experiences has never been explored insofar as adolescents at-risk, especially those involved in the child protection services (CPS), are concerned.…”

The psychosocial consequences for children and young people who are exposed to terrorism, war, conflict and natural disasters

“…I found, for example, papers on PTSD and on endeavouring to predict posttraumatic stress symptoms after traffic accidents [19][20][21][22]; links between depressive symptoms, alcohol use and injury in traumatized adolescents [23]; the course of PTSD in adolescents and young adults [24]; exposure to trauma, posttraumatic stress and PTSD in female youths who offend [25]; PTSD and depression in refugee children [26]; self-image, war psychotrauma and refugee status in adolescents [27]; and family violence and its short and longer term psychosocial effects. Figure 1 (from Ref.…”