Case series: PTSD symptoms in adolescent survivors of ''ethnic cleansing.'' Results from a 1-year follow-up study

Author(s): Weine, S. M., Vojvoda, D., McGlashan, T. H.

Journal/Book: J Amer Acad Child Adolesc Psy. 1999; 38: 227 East Washington Sq, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 775-781.

Abstract: Objective: The authors describe the psychiatric sequelae of ''ethnic cleansing'' in adolescent Bosnian refugees, via a 1-year follow-up study. Method: Ten Bosnian adolescent refugees from the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina received a baseline assessment within the first year after their resettlement and a follow-up assessment 1 year later. Evaluations included an assessment scale for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity. Results: At baseline, 3 subjects met criteria for PTSD. At follow-up, this diagnosis persisted in none of these subjects, though 1 subject met criteria at follow-up only. For the group, mean PTSD severity scores at baseline and at follow-up were 8.9 and 4.0, respectively. At baseline, reexperiencing symptoms were present 43% of the time, avoidance symptoms were present 33% of the time, and hyperarousal symptoms were present 33% of the time; at follow-up, these proportions were 35%, 16%, and 18%, respectively. Conclusions: Overall, rates of PTSD symptoms diminished during the I-year follow-up interval, suggesting that they may be transient and not representative of enduring psychopathology. This finding may reflect the relative resiliency of adolescents, as well as a variety of factors that facilitated adaptation in our particular group of adolescent refugees.

Note: Article Becker DF, Mills Peninsula Med Ctr, 1783 El Camino Real, Burlingame,CA 94010 USA

Keyword(s): adolescents; genocide; posttraumatic stress disorder; trauma; POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER; CAMBODIAN REFUGEES; 2 GENERATIONS; BOSNIAN REFUGEES; CHILDREN; INSTRUMENT; PROJECT; TRAUMA

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