PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS AND LIABILITIES OF TRAUMATIC EXPOSURE IN THE WAR ZONE

Data from the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study on 1,198 Vi etnam theater veterans were used to examine the psychological benefits and liabilities of traumatic exposure in the war zone. Psychological benefits and liabilities were found to be largely independent of one a nother and to be related positively to the dose of traumatic exposure. Additionally, there was a curvilinear trend in the form of an inverte d U, such that psychological benefits, most notably solidarity with ot hers, were stronger at intermediate compared to high and low levels of exposure. Psychological benefits counteracted and psychological liabi lities passed through the effects of traumatic exposure on posttraumat ic stress disorder (PTSD). The psychological benefit of self-improveme nt moderated the effects of the psychological liability of self-impove rishment on PTSD.