Adolescent survivors of "ethnic cleansing": observations on the first year in America.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the psychiatric assessments and trauma testimonies of 12 Bosnian adolescents newly resettled in America.


METHODS
Twelve Bosnian adolescents who experienced the massive psychic trauma of "ethnic cleansing" were assessed during the first year after their resettlement in the United States. Assessments consisted of systematic, trauma-focused, clinical interviews that included standard assessment scales of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, as well as the opportunity to give testimony about their experiences.


RESULTS
PTSD was diagnosed in 25% of subjects and depressive disorders in 17%. Reexperiencing cluster symptoms were present in 50%, avoidance cluster symptoms in 31%, and hyperarousal cluster symptoms in 29%.


CONCLUSIONS
The relatively low rate of PTSD in this sample (in comparison with adult survivors of "ethnic cleansing" and with Cambodian adolescent survivors) may be attributable to normal prior development, time-limited adversity, lack of physical or sexual traumas, rejoining nuclear families, or insufficient time for the development of delayed-onset PTSD. It may also be a reflection of the resiliency of adolescence.
Weine
S
S
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Becker
D F
DF
McGlashan
T H
TH
Vojvoda
D
D
Hartman
S
S
Robbins
J P
JP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017522:Bosnia and Herzegovina; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D014857:Warfare