DOES FEAR OF WAR IMPAIR MENTAL-HEALTH AMONG PSYCHIATRIC-PATIENTS

The relation between fear of war and mental health was studied among 5 0 patients spontaneously reporting fear and 100 controls at the Psychi atric Clinic of Helsinki University Central Hospital in 1983-88. Of al l psychologically tested patients, 3.3% reported fear of war in the se ntence completion or draw-a-person test. Fear of war was not significa ntly related to sex, age, marital status, social class, intelligence, psychiatric diagnosis, the level of mental impairment, or suicidality. Cattel's 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire showed that patients fea ring war were more sensitive, less insecure, and better self-disciplin ed than controls. These results do not support the idea that fear of w ar impairs mental health.