Subjective quality of life in war-affected populations

PMCID: PMC3716711This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Recovery from Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms: A Qualitative Study of Attributions in Survivors of War

This study was funded by a grant from the European Commission, contract number INCO-CT-2004-50917

Complexity of Risk: Mixed-Methods Approach to Understanding Youth Risk and Insecurity in Postconflict Settings

In settings of intergroup conflict, identifying contextually relevant risk factors for youth development is an important task. In Vukovar, Croatia, a city devastated during the war in former Yugoslavia, ethno-political tensions remain. The current study utilized a mixed-methods approach to identify two salient community-level risk factors (ethnic tension and general antisocial behavior) and related emotional insecurity responses (ethnic and nonethnic insecurity) among youth in Vukovar. In Study 1, focus group discussions (N = 66) with mothers, fathers, and adolescents of age 11 to 15 years old were analyzed using the constant comparative method, revealing two types of risk and insecurity responses. In Study 2, youth (N = 227, 58% male, M = 15.88, SD = 1.12 years) responded to quantitative scales developed from the focus groups, discriminate validity was demonstrated, and path analyses established predictive validity between each type of risk and insecurity. First, community ethnic tension (i.e., threats related to war/ethnic identity) significantly predicted ethnic insecurity for all youth (β = .41, p < .001). Second, experience with community antisocial behavior (i.e., general crime found in any context) predicted nonethnic community insecurity for girls (β = .32, p < .05) but not for boys. These findings are the first to show multiple forms of emotional insecurity at the community level; implications for future research are discussed

When the world collapses : Changed worldview and social reconstruction in a traumatized community

Background: Traumatic experience can affect the individual’s basic beliefs about the world as a predictable and safe place. One of the cornerstones in recovery from trauma is reestablishment of safety, connectedness, and the shattered schema of a worldview. Objective: This study explored the role of negatively changed worldview in the relationship between war-related traumatization and readiness for social reconstruction of intergroup relations in a post-conflict community measured by three processes: intergroup rapprochement, rebuilding trust, and need for apology. It was hypothesized that more traumatized people are less supportive of social reconstruction and that this relationship is mediated by the changed worldview. Method: The study included a community random sample of 333 adults in the city of Vukovar, Croatia, that was most devastated during the 1991–1995 war. Six instruments were administered: Stressful Events Scale, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, Changed Worldview Scale, and three scales measuring the post-conflict social reconstruction processes: Intergroup Rapprochement, Intergroup Trust and Need for Apology. Results: Mediation analyses showed that the worldview change fully mediated between traumatization and all three aspects of social reconstruction. Conclusions: In a population exposed to war traumatization the worldview change mediates post-conflict social recovery of community relations

Long-Term Impact of War on Healthcare Costs: An Eight-Country Study

PMCID: PMC3251588This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

Opportunities for advancing social policy in reducing child poverty: The perspective of key stakeholders

On the basis of an analysis that revealed a gap between European Union guidelines, national strategies, and social policy programmes on the one hand and specific achievements in the combating of poverty and social exclusion of children in Croatia on the other, the aim of this paper was to deepen the understanding of circumstances contributing to or aggravating the efficiency of the social policy in the fight against child poverty and of opportunities for advancing social action in this area. The research included 13 key stakeholders who were selected deliberately in view of their expected competence concerning the topic and their experience: seven officials or high-ranking experts at the level of state bodies or local government and self-government, three key persons from prominent civil society organisations, and three independent experts. The data was collected via the method of semi-structured interview. The analysis showed a high level of agreement among key stakeholders concerning the lack of any substantial (political and social) interest in child poverty and concerning the inefficiency of social policy in reducing child poverty. It also emphasized the need to change the socioeconomic environment, strategic framework, current public policy practices as well as the need to ensure socially responsible action and responsibility on the part of all stakeholders for the prevention and reduction of child poverty. The findings were discussed in seven key points. The first relates to the necessity of considering poverty from the perspective of the rights of the child and the promotion of child well-being. Following a critical review of the indicators of inefficiency of social policies in the combating of child poverty, especially the absence of a multidimensional and comprehensive approach in the eradiction of child poverty, we advocate an integrated instead of a fragmented approach to child poverty. Special attention is paid to the key role of the state and the necessity to veer the discourse from the abuse of social rights towards the importance of early investments and preventive programmes. In that respect, we also advocate the preventive role of educational institutions that should assume their share of responsibility as soon as possible as well as the strengthening of the role of civil society organisations in the prevention and mitigation of child poverty. Finally, we emphasize the necessity of systematic evaluations of the existing public policies and evidence-based action at all levels. In conclusion, we emphasize the opportunity that is available to the current Government of the Republic of Croatia to transform unfavourable trends and develop an integrated approach to child poverty