Psychological problems in children of war veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder in Bosnia and Herzegovina: cross-sectional study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess psychological problems in children as reported by their veteran fathers with war-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).


METHODS
The study group consisted of 154 veterans with war-related PTSD who were treated at the Mostar University Hospital. The control group consisted of 77 veterans without war-related PTSD who were selected from veteran associations by the snowball method. General Demographic Questionnaire, the first and fourth module of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire-Bosnia and Herzegovina version, and the Questionnaire on Developmental, Emotional, and Behavioral Problems in Children, created specifically for the needs of this study, were used to collect data on veterans' perception of psychological problems in their children.


RESULTS
In comparison with veterans without PTSD, veterans with PTSD reported significantly more developmental (odds ratio [OR], 2.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.51-3.73), behavioral (OR, 3.92; 95% CI, 1.53-10.03), and emotional problems (OR, 17.74; 95% CI, 2.40-131.10) in their children.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Klarić
Miro
M
Psychiatric Department of Clinical hospital Mostar, Kardinala Stepinca bb, 88000 Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. klaricmiro@net.hr
Francisković
Tanja
T
Klarić
Branka
B
Kvesić
Ante
A
Kastelan
Ana
A
Graovac
Mirjana
M
Lisica
Ines Diminić
ID
D017522:Bosnia and Herzegovina; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014728:Veterans; D014857:Warfare; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology