LIVING UNDER WAR STRESS - SOME QUALITATIVE ASPECTS OF ADOLESCENTS EXPERIENCES

The aim of this study was to examine which experiences related to war were considered to be the most difficult for adolescents and young adu lts living in areas not directly affected by conflicts. A total of 795 high school and college students of both sexes were asked to describe their worst war experience. The answers were classified into 27 conte nt categories. Age and gender differences in specific categories of wa r experiences were not very pronounced, but significant differences we re found in the number of reported experiences. Female subjects report ed more war experiences than male, and college students reported more experiences than high school students. Subjects reported a great varie ty of war experiences, the most frequent being sympathizing with victi ms, financial hardship, death of close persons, their own emotional st ates, separation from friends, and answers such as ''nothing or nothin g compared to others.'' The results suggest that adolescents and young adults living in areas not directly affected by war experience chroni c war stress. Identifying stressors and their reactions to them is the first step in trying to assist them.