A social interaction model for war traumatization Self-processes and postwar recovery in Bosnia in subjects with PTSD and other psychological disorders

Traumatization of self-processes as a consequence of acts of war is not only determined by the content and number of traumatic experiences, but also, to a large extent by factors related to posttraumatic socioeconomic, environmental, and psychosocial interactions, À model is presented to describe posttraumatic adaptation of war-traumatized selves according to the characteristics of the individuals' social interactions and the cognitive representations of those processes. Findings in children (n=816) and adults (n=801) from postwar Bosnia are analyzed. One of the most traumatic experiences was having a missing relative, particularly a father: not knowing the fate of a close relative is an ongoing stressor that alters cognitive-emotional processes and reduces self esteem and interactional competence, whether in children or in adults. Use of a multiphasic integrative therapy for traumatized subjects (MITT) showed promising results in victims of the Bosnian war.