Self-reported emotional and behavioral symptoms, parent-adolescent bonding and family functioning in clinically referred adolescent offspring of Croatian PTSD war veterans.

The presence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in male war veterans has been linked with family dysfunction and psychopathology in their children [1, 2]. This study aimed to evaluate self-reported emotional and behavioral symptoms, parent-adolescent bonding and family functioning in clinically referred adolescent offspring of Croatian PTSD war veterans and determine the degree that parent-child bonding and family functioning contributed to adolescent behavior problems. Internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, parent-child bonding and family functioning were assessed in a sample of clinically referred Croatian PTSD veterans adolescent offspring (N = 122) and non-PTSD veteran adolescent offspring (N = 122) matched for age, sex, educational level, family income, parental employment status, ethnicity, and residential area. Youth Self-Report, Parental Bonding Instrument, Family Assessment Device were used. Adolescent offspring of PTSD veterans reported having significantly more internalizing and externalizing problems than non-PTSD veteran offspring, and also more difficulties in their family functioning, lower levels of maternal and paternal care, and more impaired mother-child and father-child bonding than control subjects. Internalizing symptoms were associated with family dysfunction, while externalizing symptoms were associated with paternal overcontrol/overprotection, and low maternal and paternal care. In conclusion, the increase in internalizing and externalizing symptoms as well as family and parental dysfunction among clinically referred adolescent offspring of PTSD veterans compared to their non-PTSD veteran counterparts indicates a need for early detection and interventions targeting both adolescent psychopathology and family relationships.

Clinical experiences in treating PTSD patients by combining individual and group psychotherapy.

PTSD is a complex psychobiological disorder that causes disfunctionality in many areas. In treating PTSD different models have been applied, however, no general consensus on the method of treatment has yet been achieved. At the Clinic for Psychological Medicine we have developed the model of combined treatment for PTSD patients that involves outpatient individual psychotherapy, psychopharmacotherapy and group psychotherapeutic techniques introduced within repeated day-hospital treatments. In this paper the efficiency of the above mentioned model has been explored. Three PTSD patients have been presented. We assessed changes in psychological functioning of our subjects on the basis of clinical observation and analysis of the session protocols. The model of combined and long-term treatment of PTSD in which the approach to traumatized patients has been mostly supportive, including supportive psychotherapeutic interventions and psychopharmacotherapy, has proved to be efficient in achieving integration of traumatic experiences and consolidation of the traumatised Self. Combination of individual and group approach facilitates the analysis of traumatic transference, whereas more mature defence patterns become stronger and integration of traumatic experiences improved. Consolidation of the Self leads to better socialization.

[Severe chronic illness and liaison psychiatry]. / Teska kronicna bolest i liaison psihijatrija.

The paper reviews three cases treated for somatic diseases on the clinical wards for dialysis, haematology and gynaecology. Patients suffereing from somatic diseases often have psychological disturbances, too. As a connection between somatic and psychological, a relatively new branch of psychiatry developed - liaison psychiatry. Liaison psychiatrist, on the one hand, halps the patient to cope with the illness more easily, and on the other hand, helps the members of the healing team to understand better the patient's psychological needs. In the described cases, psychological disturbances occurred at the end of somatic treatment. The liaison psychiatrist's role was to enable the patients to adapt to the new situation, and not to lose their quality of life. The aim of this paper is pointing out the importance of liaison psychiatrist in the treatment of physically ill patients.