Abstract
Currently, little is known about the psychological impact of the difficult post-war situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina [BH] among young adult survivors of the 1992–1995 war. While several studies have explored the immediate impact of this war on the psychological well-being of BH children and adolescents, it is also important to consider it within the context of the stress inducing political, economic, and psychosocial post-war environment. This study examined the internalizing and externalizing symptoms of 134 young adults in Bosnia-Herzegovina 10 years after the war. In addition, the presence and severity of current post-war stressors were assessed. A significant percentage of the participants presented clinical levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms and reported moderate levels of stress regarding the post-war environment. However, comparisons of environmental contexts and adjustment indicate that stress-free personal/professional relationships and leisure activities may serve as protective factors against less controllable stressors such as the difficult post-war political environment. Overall, our findings indicate that the difficult post-war environment in Bosnia-Herzegovina continues to affect the psychological well-being of the young adults who experienced war during their youth.
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Kirlić, N., Langrock, A. (2012). Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms in a Sample of Bosnian Young Adults: Ten Years After the War. In: Simić, O., Volčič, Z., Philpot, C. (eds) Peace Psychology in the Balkans. Peace Psychology Book Series. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1948-8_9
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