The long-term consequences of war: the experience of World War II

Seven hundred and thirty-one World War II and Korean War veterans completed a questionnaire about their experiences and their current psychological re actions to the war. Nineteen percent scored above the cut-off points for bo th the General Health Questionnaire and the (war-related) Impact of Event S cale, demonstrating that, even over 50 years after the event, many veterans still experience problems relating to their war experiences. Psychological distress was in part directly related to particular experiences, but intru sion and avoidance both played an important role as mediating variables. Ot her factors, such as prisoner of war (POW) status, type of service, rank, a nd illness were also considered. The findings indicate that the effects of a traumatic experience such as war can persist into later life.