Vol 10, No 2, 2011 pp. 195-202
UDC 159.913(=163:497.6)(494)
MENTAL HEALTH AND COPING STRATEGIES OF BOSNIAN IMMIGRANTS IN SWITZERLAND
Selvira Draganović
International University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Arts ans Social Sciences, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
E-mail: sdraganovic@ius.edu.ba
Mental health is more than the absence of mental illness, it is a state of well being in which every individual realizes his/her potentials, can cope with every day stressors, can work productively and is able to contribute to the community. Immigration and its phases represent great sources of stress and stressors. Immigrants need effective coping strategies which can help them maintain their physical as well as mental health. The aim of this study is to explore the persistence of coping strategies in a non clinical population of Bosnian immigrants in Switzerland. Our results showed a statistical significance of the t-test for all the scales (General Health Questionnaire, GHQ 28, Becks Depression Inventory, BDI and Perceived Stress Scale, PSS 14) and subscales of stress, depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, insomnia and social dysfunction. At the same time, the study shows a presence of a primary coping strategy in the form of social support and its use by Bosnian immigrants while dealing with difficulties and problems.
Key words: mental health, coping strategies, immigrants, Bosnian immigrants.
MENTALNOZDRAVSTVENI PROBLEMI I STRATEGIJE SUOČAVANJA BOSANSKOHERCEGOVAČKIH IMIGRANATA U ŠVICARSKOJ
Mentalno zdravlje je više od puke odsutnosti mentalnih poremećaja. To je stanje blagostanja u kojem svaki pojedinac realizira svoje potencijale, nosi se sa svakodnevnim stresorima, može produktivno raditi i doprinositi društvu. Imigracija sa svojim fazama predstavlja velike izvore stresa. Imigranti trebaju efikasne strategije suočavanja koje će im pomoći da očuvaju svoje fizičko i mentalno zdravlje. Cilj ovog rada je da istraži mentalnozdravstvene probleme i strategije suočavanja Bosanskohercegovačkih imigranata u Švicarskoj. Naši rezultati pokazuju statističku značajnost t-testa na svim skalama koje smo koristili (Generalni upitnik zdravlja 28, Bekova skala depresije i skala percipiranog stresa 14) i njihovim subskalama, stres, depresija, nksioznost, somatske tegobe, nesanica i socijalna disfunkcija. Istovremeno, studija pokazuje prisustvo primarne strategije suočavanja (traženje podrške od porodice i prijatelja –socijalne podrške) koju BiH imigranti koriste kad se suočavaju sa svakodnevnim teškoćama-problemima.
Ključne reči: mentalno zdravlje, strategije suočavanja, imigranti, bosanskohercegovački imigranti