Date of Award

2010

Degree Type

Thesis

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Wilson, John

Subject Headings

Refugees -- Bosnia and Hercegovina, Sex, Post-traumatic stress disorder, Quality of life, Bosnian refugees, Gender, PTSD, Quality of life

Abstract

Bosnian refugees, living in Cleveland Ohio, completed questionnaires during the months of March and April of 2009. This study sample consisted of 41 participants, 21 males and 20 females, who have lived in Bosnia for any duration of time during the civil war that took place between May of 1992 to November of 1995. This study employed several assessment measures: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL), Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) and Multidimensional Index of Life Quality (MILQ). The Following hypothesis were proposed: 1) Manifestation of PTSD symptoms of post war trauma will be significantly higher amongst the female Bosnian refugees. 2) The presence of PTSD symptoms and their severity will be negatively associated with the quality of life currently experienced by Bosnia refugees. Present sample of Bosnian war refugees did not present a higher prevalence of PTSD symptoms in the female population of this sample. However, results from the second hypothesis analysis revealed a strong negative relationship between health and quality of life experienced and PTSD manifestation in the current sample. This shows that the presence of PTSD and its symptoms indicate diminished health and quality of life among Bosnian war refugees

Download

Included in

Psychology Commons

COinS