The acculturation and repatriation problems and school behavioral problems reported from teachers among repatriated refugee adolescents in Bosnia-Herzegovina

Objectives: To describe the acculturation and repatriation problems and school behavior problems reported from teachers who were amidst Bosnia-Herzegovina (BH) repatriated school adolescents who were refugees after the 1992-1995 war, and to analyze possible differences between primary and secondary school students. Methods: The sample of 100 adolescents aged of 15.2 ± 2.4 years consisted from two groups: elementary and secondary school students (n=50, both equalized by gender), who survived the 1992-1995 war catastrophes, and were forced to spend certain refugee period in foreign country during and after this war. They were prevented to return to their original home places after repatriation because of no safety there. We used General questionnaire for personal information and trauma experiences, Personal questionnaire for acculturation and repatriation, and teacher’s version of the Children Behavior Check list, for (Achenbach CBCL). Results: Younger students reported lower adjustment and tendency to internalization. Older adolescents reported more intensive externalizing and other problems. Older adolescents reported significantly more often “thinking about his/her native place on arrival at the place of exile” and “thoughts about cousins”, while younger students reported more often “couldn’t play outside”. Teachers reported a number of behavioral disorders that returnees showed high maladjustment during repatriation. Returnees with greater acculturation problems showed increased functional and relational problems, however, with less psycho-emotional problems after repatriation. Conclusion: Younger students showed tendency to internalization and older adolescents showed significantly more intensive externalizing problems and other problems. Teachers have noticed a number of behavioral disorders that returnees showed as higher maladjustment during repatriation. Acculturation problems abroad were associated with functional and relational problems after returned at home. Correspondence to: Mevludin Hasanović, Department of Psychiatry, University Clinical Center Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Tel: +387 35 267 111; E-mail: hameaz@bih.net.ba