Daily Stress Variability in Two Generations of Survivors of the War in the Former Yugoslavia

The war in the former Yugoslavia had a profound impact on millions of civilians, leaving long-lasting psychological consequences. This study aimed to examine stress sensitivity and variability in the daily lives of survivors using a longitudinal design. First-generation survivors (G1; n = 79), second-generation survivors born after the war (G2; n = 28), and a non-war-exposed control group (n = 60) participated. The baseline assessment included measures of stress- and trauma-related symptoms, life satisfaction, and coping mechanisms. Daily perceived stress was then monitored over 21 consecutive days using the experience sampling method. Although there were no group differences in baseline measures or mean daily stress levels, variability in daily stress showed distinct generational patterns. G1 exhibited lower variability compared to both controls and G2, which showed the highest variability. Variability was significantly associated with trauma-related symptoms, dysfunctional coping, and life satisfaction. This study showed that the lasting psychological consequences of the war in the former Yugoslavia may not be reflected in elevated daily stress levels or baseline psychopathology but rather may be subtly expressed through altered perceptions and sensitivity to daily stress, even decades after the war. These findings provide novel support for the latent vulnerability hypothesis.