THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERCEIVED PROBABILITY OF PERSONAL HARM AND DISTRESSFUL REACTIONS DURING THE GULF-WAR

This study investigated the relationship between threat appraisal, dis tressful reactions, and coping strategies of Israeli civilians under m issile attack during the Gulf War During the war; 66 subjects were ask ed about their perceived probability of being hurt by the missiles. Ad ditionally they compared a questionnaire that measured their fears and symptoms during the war the State Anxiety scale of the Endler Multidi mensional Anxiety Scales, and the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situa tions (CISS, Endler & Parker 1990). The results showed an inverted U-s haped relationship between perceived probability of being hurt and the anxiety measures. A similar curvilinear relationship was found betwee n perceived probability of being hurt and emotion coping strategy Furt hermore, it was found that those who appraised the possibility of bein g hurt as very high, more often used avoidance coping. The results are discussed within the framework of stress theories and are related to other inverted U-shape relationships found between threat appraisal an d stressful reactions.