Some personality characteristics of soldiers exposed to extreme war stress: A follow-up study of post-hospital adjustment

A group of 17 Israeli soldier psychiatric casualties of the Yom Kippur war were readministered the MMPI and intensively interviewed a year after they had been discharged from a psychiatric ward. A comparison between the hospitalization and post-hospitalization MMPI profiles yielded no significant difference on any of the scales. Thus, the degree of emotional distress experienced by these veterans continues to be extraordinarily high and is characterized by extreme depression, anxiety and extensive physical complaints. The interview reports are completely consistent with the MMPI data. These data emphasize the prolonged effect of combat stress and highlight the special problems that these men face in re-entering their social community.