The long-term effects of war experiences on children's depression in the Republic of Croatia

The aim of the study was to investigate whether different levels of depressive symptoms in early adolescent boys and girls could be predicted on the basis of war experiences, perceived available social support (instrumental support, support to self-esteem, belonging and acceptance) and extraversion. The sample consisted of 583 children ages 12 to 15 years; 283 children were displaced from different parts of Croatia for a period of approximately three and a half years. The following instruments were administered: Questionnaire on Children's Stressful and Traumatic War Experiences, Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale, Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, and Interpersonal Support Evaluation List. Regression analyses showed that more war experiences were related to more depressive symptoms for boys only. The greater extent of perceived available social support for boys (instrumental support, support to self-esteem, belonging and acceptance) related to fewer depressive symptoms. For girls, perceived instrumental support and self-esteem were related to fewer depressive symptoms. Predictors in the boys’ sample accounted for 35% of the variance in the results on the depression scale, and 27% in the girls’ sample. We conclude that boys suffer more from the long-term effects of war than girls. In situations where children cannot be shielded from stressful events, such as war, a greater level of perceived social support is related to fewer depressive symptoms both for boys and girls in early adolescence. Le but de l’étude était de chercher si des degrés différents de symptômes dépressifs chez des garçons et filles primo-adolescents pouvaient être prédits sur la base de leurs expériences de guerre, de leur perception d’une possible aide sociale (aide matérielle, soutien de l’estime de soi, sentiment d’appartenance et d’être reconnus) et leur extraversion. L’échantillon était constitué de 583 enfants âgés de 12 à 15 ans; 283 enfants provenaient de différentes parties de la Croatie déplacés depuis approximativement trois ans et demi. Les matériels d’étude suivants ont été proposés: Questionnaire sur les expériences infantiles de guerre éprouvantes et traumatiques, Echelle de dépression adolescente de Reynolds, Questionnaire de personnalité du jeune de Eysenck, Liste d’évaluation d’aide interpersonnelle. Les analyses de régression ont montré que les expériences de guerre provoquaient davantage de symptômes dépressifs chez les garçons seulement. Le degré plus impor