title: Psychosocial assistance to students with posttraumatic stress disorder in primary and secondary schools in post-war Bosnia Herzegovina.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH) has had a tremendous impact on civilians; thousands of inhabitants were left with numerous traumatic experiences. Many children suffered or witnessed horrifying acts of violence and aggression. Although young trauma victims are often resilient, many experience mental health difficulties, including PTSD. The aim of the study was to estimate whether psychosocial support given by the School Project of Humanitarian Association of " Prijateljice" reduced posttraumatic consequences in students in primary and secondary schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina after 1992-1995 war.
  
  
  METHODS
  A stratified sample of 336 students in primary and secondary schools located in two entities of North-East Bosnia and Herzegovina, involved in psychosocial support, was compared with 72 voluntarily selected same-age students from the same schools who were not involved in this project. Data were collected on two occasions, beginning of December 2005 and end of May 2006, by using a self-evaluation survey method for measuring symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) according to DSM IV. The Index of Children Post-traumatic reactions were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The severity of PTSD symptoms among students involved in the School Project decreased from (mean+/-standard deviation=35.3+/-10.2 to 26.7+/-8.7) (t=13.1, P<0.001, Paired sample test), whereas in the group with no psychosocial assistance this reduction was from (29.7+/-10.9 to 28.1+/-11.8) (t=0.9, P=0.396, Paired sample test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that work with students by giving them psychosocial support within the School Project resulted in significant reduction of PTSD symptoms' severity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, 75000 Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. hameaz@bih.net.ba
authors.forename: Mevludin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hasanović
authors.forename: Sehaveta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Srabović
authors.forename: Munevera
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rasidović
authors.forename: Mirela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sehović
authors.forename: Emir
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hasanbasić
authors.forename: Jasminka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Husanović
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hodzić
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D000533:Altruism; D017522:Bosnia and Herzegovina; D002648:Child; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D017145:Models, Educational; D011287:Prejudice; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology; D014857:Warfare