Mastery,Intimacy, and Stress Resistance during War |
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Authors: | Stevan E. Hobfoll Perry London Emda Orr |
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Abstract: | The relationship between war-related stressors and emotional and behavioral adjustment during the Israel-Lebanon war was studied on a sample of 220 Israeli students, many of whom had been in combat. Mastery had direct effects on the well-being of both sexes. There was limited support for the stress-buffering effect of intimacy for men, such that those who had less intimate ties were increasingly negatively affected by greater exposure to war-related stressors, whereas those with more intimate relationships were relatively unaffected; the buffering effect applied both to emotions and behavior. No stress-buffering effect of intimate ties was found for women, but women were not affected by war-related stress at this time. The diagnosis post-traumatic stress disorder is examined in terms of the fact that normally healthy populations may be at increased risk of long-term adjustment difficulties following exposure to extreme stress if the threat of recurrence of the stressor continues. Implications for Vietnam veterans are also discussed. |
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