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ACUTE POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER IN PRISONERS OF WAR RELEASED FROM DETENTION CAMPS
Dragica KOZARIĆ-KOVAČIĆ
Vera FOLNEGOVIĆ-ŠMALC
Ana MARUŠIĆ
Sažetak
The aim of the present study was to assess acute psychiatric
disturbances in Croatian prisoners of war (POWs) released
after 6-9 months of detention. Immediately (1-3 days) after
exchange with the other side, 47 prisoners of war were
examined at the Zagreb University Clinic for Infectious Diseases
by a team of medical professionals to assess their physical and
psychological health, and therapeutic needs. The team
consisted of a general practitioner, surgeon, infectious diseases
specialist, psychiatrist and clinical psychologist. All prisoners
were active soldiers from Vukovar, and were of similar age,
social background, combat activity and duration of detention.
All were severely physically and psychically maltreated in the
detention camp. Sixteen (34%) had symptoms of current
post-traumatic stress syndrome as assessed by the Watsons
PTSD questionnaire. In a structured clinical interview, all POWs
reported at least 2 (average 8-9) symptoms of psychological
disturbance. All POWs ranked the withdrawal of information on
their families and the situation in Croatia as the most painful
experience during detention. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality
Inventory (MMPI-201 version) profiles of the prisoners of war
showed a significant difference between the POWs with and
without diagnosed PTSD on the paranoia scale. In conclusion,
although only one third of the POWs released after 6-9
months of detention and torture had manifest PTSD, most had
several symptoms of psychological disturbances with
dominating anxiotic-depressive and psychosomatic reactions.
Careful follow-up is needed to asses the extent and late
consequences of polytrauma experienced by this high-risk
group.
Ključne riječi
Hrčak ID:
20480
URI
Datum izdavanja:
30.6.1998.
Posjeta: 2.156 *