Aim To determine psychological characteristics of war veterans after the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). Methods The study included 207 war veterans with war experience in B&H. Evaluation of veterans was conducted by the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ)-B&H version, Emotion Profile Index (EPI), Life Style Questionnaire (Life Style index-LSI). Results Veterans who show symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) had more traumatic experiences and higher level of traumatization than veterans who did not show PTSD symptoms (p=0.000). Low level of reproduction, incorporation, lack of control, self-defence and exploratory and acceptable responses (p=0.000), lack of control (p=0.025) and deprivation (p=0.013) were shown on the emotional profile by war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Negation, intellectualization and compensation were coping strategies for traumatic experiences and symptoms of PTSD, used by war veterans. Conclusion War veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder experienced more traumatic experiences and show more severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. In the emotional profile, there was a lower level of emotional states, and coping strategies with posttraumatic stress disorder were negating, intellectualization and compensation. The treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder is becoming a conspicuous public health problem.
Mikaeili N, Einy S, Taghavy R. Role of coping styles, locus of control, and emotional intelligence in predicting social adjustment of veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. Iranian J of War & Public Health 2018:195–201.
3
Shariati A, Dehghani A. Comparison of coping and defensive styles in veterans and without posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Iranian J of War & Public Helath 2018:99–105.
4
Knežević M, Krupić D, Šućurović S. Coping strategies in war veterans 20 years after exposure to extreme stress. Društvena Istraživanja 2016:353–70.
5
Lj T, Kostić P, Dedić G. Posttraumatski stresni poremećaj ratnih ranjenika. Psihologija 1997:425–36.
6
Mršić H, Bogović S, A. PIE profil kod veterana domovinskog rata sa kroničnim PTSP-om. Suvremena Psihologija 2008:273–85.
7
Murphy D, Palmer E, Wessely S, Oddy M, Da S, Ramos S, et al. Prevalence and associations between traumatic brain injury and mental health difficulties within UK veterans accessing support for mental health difficulties. Psychol Res 2015:613–23.
8
Murphy D, Busuttil W. Exploring factors that predict treatment outcomes in UK veterans treated for PTSD. Psychol Res 2015:441–51.
9
Murphy R, Ashwic R, Palmer E, Busuttil W. Describing the profile of a population of UK veterans seeking support for mental health difficulties. J Ment Health 2017:1–8.
10
Fontana A, Rosenheck R, Desai R. Female veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan seeking care from VA specialized PTSD programs: comparison with male veterans and female war zone veterans of previous eras. J of Womens Health (Larchmt) 2010:751–7.
11
Fontana A, Rosenheck R. Treatment-seeking veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan: comparison with veterans of previous wars. J Nerv Ment Dis 2008:513–21.
12
Dedić G, Kostić P, Trlaja L. Coping with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Returning Troops: Wounds of War II 2010:69–79.
13
Lamovec T, Bele-Potočnik Ž, Boben D. Upitnik životnog stila i obrambeni mehanizmi. Ljubljana. Centar za psihodijagnostična sredstva -Zavod za produktivnost dela 1990:274.
14
Plutchik R, Kellerman H, Conte H. Emotions in Personality and Psychopathology 1979.
15
Conte H, Apter A. Ego Defenses: Theory and Measurement 1995;(10):179–201.
16
Plutchik R, Kellerman H. Priručnik za indeks profila emocija (PIE) 2000.
17
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. VA 2013.
18
Oruč L, Kapetanović A, Pojskić N, Miley K, Forstbauer S, Mollica R, et al. Screening for PTSD and depression in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Validating the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist. Int J Cult Ment Health 2008:105–16.
19
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-IV) 1994;(4).
20
Allden K, Cerić I, Kapetanović A, Lavelle J, Loga S, Mathias M, et al. Bosnia-Herzegovina Version 1998.
21
Selimbašić Z, Brkić M, Kravić N, Hamidović J, Selimbašić M. Post-traumatic stress disorder and coping styles of war veterans from Tuzla Canton twenty years after the war. Med Glas (Zenica) 2018:66–70.
22
Kok B, Herrell R, Thomas J, Hoge C. Posttraumatic stress disorder associated with combat service in Iraq or Afghanistan: reconciling prevalence differences between studies. J Nerv Ment Dis 2012:444–50.
23
Zdjelarević A, Komar Z, Lončar M, Dijanić I, Plašć I, Hrabac P, et al. Quality of life in families of Croatian veterans 15 years after the war. Coll Antropol 2011:281–6.
24
Intimate partner aggression perpetrated and sustained by male Afghanistan, Iraq, and Vietnam veterans with and without posttraumatic stress disorder. J Interpers Violence 2010:1612–30.
25
Teten A, Schumacher J, Taft C, Stanley M, Kent T, Bailey S, et al. n.d.
26
Smid G, Mooren T, Van Der Mast R, Gersons B, Kleber R. Delayed posttraumatic stress disorder: systematic review, meta-analysis, and metaregression analysis of prospective studies. J Clin Psych 2009:1572–82.
27
Šakušić A, Avdibegović E, Zoričić Z, Pavlović S, Gaspar V, Delić A. Relationship between anger, alcoholism and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorders in war veterans. Med Arch 2010:354–8.
28
Rosenbaum S, Stubbs B, Ward P, Steel Z, Lederman O, Vancampfort D. The prevalence and risk of metabolic syndrome and its components among people with posttraumatic stress disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Metabolism 2015:926–33.
29
Avdibegović E, Delić A, Hadžibeganović K, Selimbašić Z. Somatic patient with posttraumatic stress disorder. Med Arch 2010:124–7.
30
Lohr J, Palmer B, Eidit C, Ailaboyina S, Mausbatch B, Wolkowitz O, et al. Is post-traumatic stress disorder associated with premature senescence? A review of the literature. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2015:709–25.
31
Marmar C, Schlenger W, Henn-Haase C, Qian M, Purchia E, Li M, et al. Course of posttraumatic stress disorder 40 years after the Vietnam war: findings from the national Vietnam veterans longitudinal study. JAMA Psychiatry 2015:875–81.
The statements, opinions and data contained in the journal are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publisher and the editor(s). We stay neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
,
