MISSILE STRESS, HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIOR, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL REACTION TO THE GULF-WAR

We studied the effects of missile stress, appraised before the 1991 Gu lf War, and help-seeking behavior employed during it on affective reac tions to the war. These reactions included the negative strains of anx iety and helplessness and the positive affect of improved self-compete nce. Respondents were 257 civilians, all residents of metropolitan Tel Aviv, Israel, the area targeted by most of the Iraqi missile attacks. Data were gathered by telephone interviews conducted with the respond ents about a month before the war and again about 2 weeks after the wa r's end. As predicted, missile stress and help-seeking behavior were b oth positively correlated with anxiety and helplessness. It was found, as predicted, that for those who engaged in intensive help-seeking be havior, the negative effects of missile stress on improved self-compet ence were more pronounced.