Naslov
Long-term effects of war on mental health of women - implications for social work practice

Autori
Ajduković, Marina ; Kožljan, Petra ; Rajter, Miroslav

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, ostalo, znanstveni

Skup
European Conference for Social Work Research 2023 "Social Work Research Through and Towards Human Relationships"

Mjesto i datum
Milano, Italija, 12.04.2023. - 14.04.2023

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
war trauma, women, mental health

Sažetak
Background and purpose: War and related traumatic experiences have both short and long-term negative effects on the mental health. Although the posttraumatic symptoms decrease over time, the higher prevalence of psychological difficulties in post-war communities and the transfer of difficulties from childhood to adulthood show long-term adverse effects (Mollica et al., 2004, Llabre et al., 2015). Most of the research on adverse effects of war focuses on men, while mental health difficulties of women have been investigated much less. The aim of this study was to examine the long-term effects of exposure to war-related events of adult women during their childhood or adolescent years on their current mental health and parenthood. Methods: The quantitative data were gathered within the project “Intergenerational risk transmission for adolescent mental health”, funded by the Croatian Science Foundation. It was conducted on a two-stage stratified cluster sample from three counties in Croatia which were heavily affected by the war (1991-1995). The participants were 430 women with adolescent children (Mage=43, 57, SDage=4, 881). The questionnaire items asked about different aspects of adverse events experienced during the war, current mental health wellbeing and parental functioning. Multiple regression models and bivariate correlations were used for data analysis. Findings: Some of the analysed adverse war experiences proved to be significantly related to the current mental health of women. Specifically, sexual and non-sexual assault by a known person, sexual assault by an unknown person, death of a close one due to natural causes, and the experience of hunger and thirst - even after 30 years predicted higher depression and anxiety. The same predictors, with the exception of sexual assault by an unknown person, predicted higher level of stress. Women who currently experienced more PTSD symptoms also reported lower overall life satisfaction and subjective well-being, greater financial difficulties, higher daily and parental stress, and more frequent use of negative parental behaviours (refusal, chaos, and coercion). Conclusions and implications: The long-term detrimental consequences of war-related events on various aspects of women's lives were identified even 30 years’ post-exposure. These data emphasize the need for continuous support for adolescent survivors of war in the life-time perspective, including the mental health wellbeing and parenting in adulthood. Range of psychosocial interventions in this context is also important in mitigating the potential transgenerational transmission of war-related trauma from parents to offspring. These findings are highly pertinent in the current context of the war in Ukraine, the likely negative consequences on the Ukrainian society, and also for the forced migrants throughout Europe.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Psihologija, Socijalne djelatnosti

POVEZANOST RADA