Acta clinica Croatica, Vol. 41 No. 4, 2002.
Original scientific paper
Chronic Pain and Secondary Traumatization in Wives of Croatian War Veterans Treated for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Elvira Koić
Tanja Francišković
Lana Mužinić-Masle
Veljko Đorđević
Snježana Vondraček
Jasmina Prpić
Abstract
Numerous consequences of the war in Croatia include a series of psychosocial disturbances. Due to many traumatic experiences, a number of Croatian war veterans have developed posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With its specific symptoms, PTSD has a significant impact on the usual social functioning of the veterans. It is especially pronounced in the family which, on one side, should offer emotional support to its sick member, and on the other hand, suffers most from the condition of one of its members. In most cases, the veterans' wives are those who try to preserve and maintain previous family balance. In the present study, mental consequences of living with a husband suffering from PTSD were investigated. Two groups of veterans' wives were compared: wives of husbands suffering from PTSD and wives of husbands free from PTSD. The following instruments were used: M-PTSD scale for PTSD; HSCL-25 for depression and anxiety; and questionnaires about demographic data and chronic pain. Study results revealed the wives of veterans suffering from PTSD to be significantly more depressive and anxious, to have a higher frequency of symptoms of vicarious traumatization, to have a higher prevalence of painful syndromes resistant to usual medical treatment, as compared with the group of the wives of veterans without PTSD. It is concluded that PTSD in a veteran significantly affects the psychosocial status of his wife, and that she suffers considerably from his illness.
Keywords
Stress disorders - post-traumatic, complications; Combat disorders, complications; Family health; War; Croatia
Hrčak ID:
14747
URI
Publication date:
2.12.2002.
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