Prospective study of displaced children's symptoms in wartime Bosnia

Background: This study examines the psychological symptoms of Bosnian child ren exposed to war and trauma, and detects changes in these symptoms over t ime. Method: A total of 147 displaced children residing in refugee centers in Bosnia completed self-report assessments of anxiety, depressive, and pos ttraumatic stress symptoms at two time points. Results: Symptoms of posttra umatic stress, anxiety and depression showed a greater decrease in boys rel ative to girls over time. Conclusion: Gender may be an important factor in the natural course of trauma-related symptoms among war traumatized childre n. Further research is needed to better understand the psychological effect s of war trauma on children, and the natural course of posttraumatic sympto ms, so as to improve interventions targeted to this vulnerable population.