MREŽNA SOCIJALNA PODRŠKA PORODICAMA NESTALIH OSOBA U BOSNI I HERCEGOVINI
SOCIAL SUPPORT NETWORKS FOR THE FAMILIES OF MISSING PERSONS IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Summary/Abstract: Of the 31,196 persons missing due to the war in BiH (1992-1995), 6,126 families are still awaiting information on the fate of their 6,586 members (ICRC, 2019). The social inclusion of these families depends on the quality of social support. Social support is understood as helping people in difficult life situations and it also includes an individual’s belief that they are cared for and loved, respected and valued, and that they belong to a network of communications and mutual obligations (Cobb, 1976). This research examined the perception of family members of missing persons about social support within the available social networks. The initial assumption that families of missing persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina perceive a significant level of social support within primary social networks and a low level of social support within secondary and tertiary social networks was confirmed by the use of mixed research design. The survey method, using a questionnaire on a sample of 200 representatives of families of missing persons, was combined with the method of focus group interview, carried out with members of the missing persons association. Methodological triangulation of quantitative data on the size and frequency of occurrence and qualitative information from the perspective of participants, provided a detailed insight into the researched phenomenon, greater validity of the obtained data and thus creating a complete picture of the researched problem. According to the results of the quantitative part of the research, families of the missing with an above-average score of 4.6 (mostly help) highly value the level of social support within primary social networks, with an below-average score of 2.3 (do not help) indicate a low level of social support through the secondary social network. That is, they believe that the competent institutions do not help them, while with a score of 3.3 (mostly they do not help) they indicate that social support through tertiary social networks is slightly below average. Qualitative results of a focus group interview are complementary to quantitative results. The conclusion is that the family remains the strongest pillar of social support, along with relatives, neighbors and friends, while associations of families of the missing somewhat compensate for the lack of support from secondary social networks. Based on that, it is recommended to strengthen support within secondary social networks by applying network social work, psychological crisis interventions and supervision. Using the existing resources of microsocial networks, network social work should favor the role of institutional networks and improve the support of associations for (self)help. The application of psychological crisis interventions and supervision for professionals who work with family members of missing persons aims to develop their abilities to overcome stressful situations and readiness for professional and personal advancement.

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