Picking up the pieces in Kosovo

Millions of people all over the world suffer from the psychological consequences of warfare and a large number of studies have reported high levels of psychological distress among civilian survivors of war. Researchers from the University of Amsterdam, the University of Connecticut and the Kosova Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims studied 67 people seeking treatment for war-related stress almost a decade after the conflict in Kosovo finished. The study found that the participants had been involved in 'multiple war-related traumatic events' and had high levels of mental-health problems. After treatment the participants reported no changes in post-traumatic stress symptoms or psychological wellbeing although they did show reduced levels of depression and 'overall psychiatric distress' and an improved quality of life. Those participants who improved after treatment were the ones who had been in less distress at the start of the study.

Morina, Nexhmedin ... [et al] - Psychopathology and well-being in civilian survivors of war seeking treatment: a follow-up study Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy March-April 2010, 17(2), 79-86