Posttraumatic stress disorder and social support in the veterans of the war in Kosovo

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the association of social and economic support with the development and maintenance of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in male Albanian combat veterans of the war on Kosovo. The study was conducted in 2009 to assess the PTSD 10 years after the end of the war. The study used the demographic survey, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-military version, Social Support Behaviors Scale, to test if social support and demographics predict PTSD in veterans of the war in Kosovo. Of 150 veterans, 47.3 % showed PTSD. PTSD was associated with lack of social support and low socio-economic level among the sample of war veterans.