Original scientific paper

POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER IN WOMEN WITH WAR MISSING FAMILY MEMBERS

Devla Baraković ; Department of Neuropsychiatry, General Hospital of District Br
Esmina Avdibegović orcid.org/0000-0002-3486-8903 ; Department of Psychiatry, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina; School of Medicine, University of Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Osman Sinanović ; School of Medicine, University of Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Department of Neurology, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Background: Research in crisis areas indicate that survivors’ responses to the forced disappearance of family members are
similar to reactions to other traumatic events. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of symptoms of posttraumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) in women with war missing family members in Bosnia and Herzegovina18 years after the war in this region
(1992–1995).
Subjects and methods: The study included 160 women aged 47.1±14.0 from three regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was
carried out in the period from April 2010 to May 2011. Of the 160 participants, 120 women had a war missing family member and
40 women had no war missing family members. The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) were used for data collection. Basic socio-demographic data and data concerning
the missing family members were also collected.
Results: Women with war missing family members experienced significantly more traumatic war experiences (18.43±5.27 vs
6.57±4.34, p<0.001). There was a significant difference between the two groups in the total PTSD score (2.48±0.59 vs 1.79±0.53,
p<0.001), as well as in the intensity of depression (26.63±13.05 vs 10.32±6.58, p<0.001) and anxiety (21.0±10.69 vs 11.27±7.93,
p<0.001). Anxiety and traumatic war experiences were significant predictors of PTSD in the group with war missing family
members.
Conclusions: Women with war missing family members showed significantly more severe PTSD symptoms. Based on the results
of this study, it was determined that the forced disappearance of a family member is an ambiguous situation that can be
characterized as a traumatic experience.

Keywords

posttraumatic stress disorder – PTSD - war missing family member - traumatic experience

Hrčak ID:

162216

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/162216

Publication date:

15.12.2014.

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