War exposure among children from Bosnia-Hercegovina: psychological adjustment in a community sample.
As part of a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) psychosocial programme during the war in Bosnia-Hercegovina, data were collected from a community sample of 2,976 children aged between 9 and 14 years. Children completed standardized self-report measures of posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression, anxiety, and grief, as well as a report of the amount of their own exposure to war-related violence. Results showed that children reported high levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms and grief reactions. However, their self-reported levels of depression and anxiety were not raised. Levels of distress were related to children's amount and type of exposure. Girls reported more distress than boys, but there were few meaningful age effects within the age band studied. Results are discussed in the context of service development for children in war.
Smith
Patrick
P
Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Camberwell, London, United Kingdom. p.smith@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Perrin
Sean
S
Yule
William
W
Hacam
Berima
B
Stuvland
Rune
R
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D017522:Bosnia and Herzegovina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014857:Warfare