Traumatology
Volume 14, Issue 4, 2008, Pages 115-127

Complicated grief and its relationship to mental health and well-being among Bosnian refugees after resettlement in the United States: Implications for practice, policy, and research (Article)

Craig C.D.* , Sossou M.-A. , Schnak M. , Essex H.
  • a University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States, 661 Patterson Office Tower, Lexington, KY 40507-0027, United States
  • b University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
  • c University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
  • d University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States

Abstract

This study investigates mental health and well-being variables in a randomly selected sample of Bosnian refugees. The sample was predominately female (56%), with a mean age of 42, and 56.5% were educated at 12 years of school or less with 43.5% reporting more than 12 years of education. Four standardized research instruments that measured trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology, complicated grief, anxiety, depression, well-being, and general mental health (a combined measure of well-being and psychological distress) were randomly disseminated among 500 Bosnian refugees with 126 (25%) surveys returned. Results revealed PTSD (66.6%), complicated grief (54%), anxiety (40%), and depression (31%) symptoms in the clinical range. A sequential regression revealed that 31% of the variance in poor general mental health was accounted for by complicated grief, whereas PTSD symptomatology only accounted for 6% of the variance. Implications for mental health interventions, research, and policy are discussed. © 2008 SAGE Publications.

Author Keywords

Mental health resettlement Bosnian refugees complicated grief

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-56349085657&doi=10.1177%2f1534765608322129&partnerID=40&md5=5715fa547e369961bb27bba877989869
DOI: 10.1177/1534765608322129
ISSN: 15347656
Cited by: 25
Original Language: English