P-298 - Psychosocial Assistance Project Decreased Severity of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and and Depressivenes Amongst School Adolescents in Post-war Bosnia Herzegovina

Abstract

Aim:

To estimate whether psychosocial support of the School Project UHD “Prijateljice-Friends” positively affect on reducing of posttraumatic sequel in Bosnia-Herzegovina among school adolescents, after the war period 1992–1995.

Methods:

The stratified sample of 507 students, aged of 13.7±1.0 (10 to16) years, in primary and secondary schools, involved in psychosocial support, compared with 78 randomly selected peers from the same schools, not involved in this project. Data were collected in February 2010 and in May 2010. the Children Depression Inventory and DSM III R questionnaire for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were utilized.

Results:

All adolescents reported experience of (mean±standard deviation=5.4±2.7) without significant differences between observed and control group (F = 0.001, P = 0.980, ANOVA). Symptoms of PTSD and depressiveness among students involved in the School Project, significantly reduced from (mean±standard deviation=6.5±3.3 to 4.9±3.5; 7.1±4.5 to 5.8±5.2, respectively) (t = 8.524, P < 0.001; t = 4.792, P < 0.001, respectively, Pared Samples Test). in the control group severity of PTSD symptoms reduced from 6.6±3.4 to 6.5±3.6 (t = 0.354, P = 0.723, Pared Samples Test), while depressiveness increased from 8.7±6.9 to 11.8±6.9 (t= − 3.387, P = 0.001, Pared Samples Test).

Conclusions:

Adolescents in this study reported surviving of multiple traumas. Psychosocial support within the School Project resulted with significant reduction of PTSD symptoms severity and severity of depressiveness amongst involved students compared to controls. Schools and other institutions ought to envisage as many as possible projects to be implemented in schools and out-of-schools in order to assist youth to easier overcome consequences of no favorable war in their development.