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Recent studies have shown that greater social support after combat stress is associated with better psychological posttraumatic outcomes. By comparison of a group of veterans (n=71) who sought psychiatric help and were diagnosed with PTSD (clinical group) and a group of veterans (n=43) without PTSD (control group) we examined various components of structural and functional social support in war veterans in Croatia. The measures of social support were assessed for two time periods: a) immediately after the war, and b) at the present time. Results of two-way analysis of variance indicate that veterans without PTSD tend to report significantly higher number of persons who provide them different forms of social support than veterans with PTSD. Perceived family and friends support is higher in veterans without PTSD than in veterans with PTSD. Support received from friends and fellow soldiers decreases over time in both groups, whereas for the clinical group support of friends decreases significantly more.

Aim: To determine the symptoms of secondary traumatic stress and possible influences of demographic and socioeconomic factors on the occurrence of secondary traumatic stress in wives of war veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Method: The study included 56 wives of war veterans diagnosed with PTSD and treated at the Center for Psychotrauma in Rijeka, Croatia. A short structured interview was conducted with each woman to collect demographic and socioeconomic data. The women independently completed an adapted 16-item version of Indirect Traumatization Questionnaire to determine the presence of secondary traumatic stress symptoms, which corresponded with PTSD symptoms as defined by the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders. Results: Out of 56 veterans’ wives included in the study, 32 had six or more symptoms of secondary traumatic stress, whereas only 3 had none of the symptoms. Twenty-two women met the diagnostic criteria for secondary traumatic stress. Women with secondary traumatic stress were married longer than those without it (mean ± standard deviation, 19.1 ± 9.1 vs 13.2 ± 7.8 years, respectively; P = 0.016). Eleven of 22 women with secondary traumatic stress and 8 of 34 women without secondary traumatic stress were unemployed (P = 0.05). Conclusion: As more than a third of war veterans wives met the criteria for secondary traumatic stress, any treatment offered to veterans with PTSD must address the traumatization of their family.

Aim: To determine the symptoms of secondary traumatic stress and possible influences of demographic and socioeconomic factors on the occurrence of secondary traumatic stress in wives of war veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Method: The study included 56 wives of war veterans diagnosed with PTSD and treated at the Center for Psychotrauma in Rijeka, Croatia. A short structured interview was conducted with each woman to collect demographic and socioeconomic data. The women independently completed an adapted 16-item version of Indirect Traumatization Questionnaire to determine the presence of secondary traumatic stress symptoms, which corresponded with PTSD symptoms as defined by the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders. Results: Out of 56 veterans’ wives included in the study, 32 had six or more symptoms of secondary traumatic stress, whereas only 3 had none of the symptoms. Twenty-two women met the diagnostic criteria for secondary traumatic stress. Women with secondary traumatic stress were married longer than those without it (mean ± standard deviation, 19.1 ± 9.1 vs 13.2 ± 7.8 years, respectively; P = 0.016). Eleven of 22 women with secondary traumatic stress and 8 of 34 women without secondary traumatic stress were unemployed (P = 0.05). Conclusion: As more than a third of war veterans wives met the criteria for secondary traumatic stress, any treatment offered to veterans with PTSD must address the traumatization of their family.