Iskustva odrastanja djece hrvatskih branitelja u ratnom i poratnom razdoblju – primjer Vukovarsko-srijemske županije
Growing Up Experiences of Children of Croatian Veterans in the War and Post-War Period – the Example of the Vukovar-Srijem County

Summary/Abstract: The period of the Homeland War has left many short-term and long-term consequences on Croatian society and individuals, especially on children as the most vulnerable group. Examining previous research has revealed a lack of those that provide a deeper insight into the growing up of the children of Croatian veterans through their personal experiences of growing up in exile, relationships within the family, and with peers. Therefore, this qualitative research examined the different experiences of growing up of the children of Croatian veterans from the Vukovar-Srijem County concerning their relations within their families and with their surroundings in the war and postwar period. Data were collected by conducting 30 semi-structured interviews and analyzed by thematic analysis. The results of the analysis and interpretation of the data showed a total of 4 thematic units with 12 corresponding categories. In addition to providing a more comprehensive insight into the experiences of growing up and the psychosocial development of children of Croatian veterans, the results of this research can help create possible interventions for working with children of Croatian veterans and their families. The conducted research also gives a broader sociological insight into the impact of a crisis (war and post-war) on specific social groups, especially those exposed to direct war events and the attitude of the entire society towards them.

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