P-968 - Ethnical, age and gender differences of psychological consequences of war-traumatized adolescents during the peace in post-war bosnia and herzegovina

Abstract

Aim To assess the psychological health of war-traumatized school adolescents in two different geopolitical settings of postwar Bosnia and Herzegovina: Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina (FBH) and Republic Serbska (RS), 10 years after the Bosnia and Herzegovina 1992–1995 war in regard of ethnicity, gender and age. Method The study was carried out in northeast part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in December 2005. We assessed 408 (267 girls) elementary and secondary school adolescents aged 13.5 ± 1.7 years for war trauma, presence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression. We used Children's Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index, and Children's Depression Inventory. Results Frequency of trauma experiences in the sample was (mean ± standard deviation=7.0 ± 5.7) with no significant differences between two entities (RS and FBH). Bosniacs had the highest rate of trauma experiences (mean ± standard deviation=7.7 ± 6.4), Serbs had 6.5 ± 4.7 and Croats had 4.2 ± 3.2 (ANOVA F = 5.497, P = 0.004). In the whole sample, 177 (43.4%) of 408 adolescents met criteria for PTSD prevalence respecting the DSM-IV criteria with no significant differ between entities FBH and RS. In the sample, 102 (25%) of 408 adolescents met DSM-IV criteria for depression prevalence, depression prevalence was significantly more frequent amongst adolescents from RS 63 (29.3%) than amongst their peers in FBH 39 (20.2%) of 193 (Chi-Square = 4.437, P = 0.034). Conclusions All students experienced war trauma and many had psychological consequences. Bosniacs had the highest rate of trauma experiences. The PTSD prevalence did not differ significantly between entities FBH and RS but the depression prevalence was significantly more frequent amongst adolescents from RS than amongst their peers in FBH.