Living under war stress: Some qualitative aspects of adolescents⁹ experiences

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine which experiences related to war were considered to be the most difficult for adolescents and young adults 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 content categories. Age and gender differences in specific categories of war experiences were not very pronounced, but significant differences were found in the number of reported experiences. Female subjects reported more war experiences than male, and college students reported more experiences than high school students. Subjects reported a great variety of war experiences, the most frequent being sympathizing with victims, financial hardship, death of close persons, their own emotional states, separation from friends, and answers such as “nothing or nothing compared to others.” The results suggest that adolescents and young adults living in areas not directly affected by war experience chronic war stress. Identifying stressors and their reactions to them is the first step in trying to assist them.

Adolescents, Stressful events, War, Young adults.