P-331 - Emotional and behavioral problems in children of war veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder

Abstract

The aim is to analyze the connection between emotional and behavioral problems in children of fathers - war veterans who show the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We analyzed a group of 120 children of school age (10–15 years) whose fathers were veterans of the war. The children were divided into two groups according to the presence of PTSD in fathers - war veterans. Symptoms of PTSD in fathers - war veterans were estimated using the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire-Bosnia and Herzegovina version (Allden et all, 1998). For the assessment of children's emotional and behavioral problems, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire -SDQ (Goodman, 2001) is used. Data were processed by descriptive statistics. Children of fathers whit PTSD symptoms showed significantly more emotional and behavioral problems comparing to children whose fathers do not show symptoms of PTSD (p < 0.01). There was a positive correlation between post-traumatic stress disorder of fathers - war veterans and emotional problems (p < 0.05), dealing with problems (p < 0.01), hyperactivity of children (p < .01), problems with peers (p < 0.01). Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. The obtained results of this study indicate that children of war veterans with PTSD symptoms showed more significantly behavioral problems and that there is correlation between behavioral problems of children and post-traumatic stress disorder of war veterans.