Surviving genocide in Srebrenica during the early childhood and adolescent personality

Abstract

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.

Academic model of trauma healing in post-war societies

“…Amra Delić et al: Academic model of trauma healing grations, enslavement, concentration camps, mistreatment of prisoners, starvation, murder of the civilian population, mass rape, executions, and mass graves (1)(2)(3)(4). e wars in ex-Yugoslavia had dramatic consequences for all the republics of the former Yugoslavia, and more speci cally BH, where the most hostile actions and violent battles took place (3)(4). e nal gures on the horrendous atrocities committed during the war (1992)(1993)(1994)(1995) in BH (1-4): 103,000 killed, of which 60% civilians, 30,000 missing persons, 170,000 wounded, over 20,000 raped, and over 2 million became refugees or displaced persons, most of them driven from their homes in pogroms of "ethnic cleansing".…”

“…e dissolution of the ex-Yugoslavia in the early 1990's was followed by the Slovenian, Croatian and Bosnia and Herzegovinian (BH) declarations of independence, which resulted in war (1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999) characterized by war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide (1)(2)(3). Survivors report mass destruction, the prominence of ethno-nationalism, wide-scale violation of human rights, ethnic and political persecution, forced mi-trauma research and facilitating discussion about trauma consequences, within multinational interdisciplinary groups of students, professors and practitioners.…”

Being Immigrant in their Own Country: Experiences of Bosnians Immigrants in Contact with Health Care System in Bosnia and Herzegovina

“…Thousands of people experienced the traumatic events during this conflict. As a result of the war (1992-1995) in Bosnia and Herzegovina 103,000 inhabitants were killed, of which 60% civilians, 30,000 were missing, 170,000 were wounded, over 20,000 raped and over 2 million (1 300 000 in other countries all over the world and 870 000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina) became refugees or displaced persons, most of them driven from their homes in pogroms of ethnic cleansing ( 5 , 6 ). Many of them still suffer from the effects of violence done by the enemy during this war ( 7 ).…”

The acculturation and repatriation problems and school behavioral problems reported from teachers among repatriated refugee adolescents in Bosnia-Herzegovina

“…Traumatic experience has overall far reaching consequences on personality. In particular, it has significant impact on teenagers that are just approaching the phase of solving their identity problems [7,8]. The group that had the most difficult time with postwar adjustment, was the one comprised of young adults who, during war time, were children, ages five to 12 years old.…”

“…For adolescents who lost their fathers, the combining of dangerous environments during war and their own personal experiences on the outside of their homeland could leave them exposed to a large number of traumatic stressors that could subsequently lead to severe PTSD and many different behavioral dysfunctions [2,5,7,8,10]. PTSD and behavioral dysfunctions in general could affect an adolescents' ability of achieving their life goals in the future, because of an overwhelming loss of perceived power and selfesteem [15].…”