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International Journal of Social Psychiatry
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Complex Sequelae of Psychological Trauma Among Kosovar Civilian War Victims

Nexhmedin Morina

University of Frankfurt, Department of Psychology, Varrentrappstr. 40-42, D-60486 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, morina{at}psych.uni-frankfurt.de

Julian D. Ford

Department of Psychiatry MC1410, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Ave., Farmington, CT 06032, USA

Aims: The impact of war trauma on civilians may include, but also extend beyond, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to include complex sequelae such as those described by the syndrome of Disorders of Extreme Stress Not Otherwise Specified (DESNOS).

Methods: In the present study, 102 civilian war victims were interviewed in Kosovo, assessing traumatic life events, PTSD, DESNOS, and depression.

Results: Full DESNOS rarely occurred (2% prevalence), however, clinically significant DESNOS symptoms of somatization, altered relationships, and altered systems of meaning were reported by between 24—42% of respondents. Although DESNOS symptoms were correlated with PTSD symptoms, DESNOS symptoms were associated with poorer overall psychological functioning, self-evaluations, satisfaction with life, and social support independent of the effects of PTSD.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that DESNOS warrants attention in addition to PTSD in the assessment and treatment of civilians who have been exposed to war and genocide.

Key Words: civilians • DESNOS • post-traumatic stress • trauma • war

International Journal of Social Psychiatry, Vol. 54, No. 5, 425-436 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0020764008090505
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?