Acute posttraumatic stress symptoms but not generalized anxiety symptoms are associated with severity of exposure to war trauma: A study of civilians under fire

Abstract

Posttraumatic stress (PTSS) and generalized anxiety symptoms (GAS) may ensue following trauma. While they are now thought to represent different psychopathological entities, it is not clear whether both GAS and PTSS show a dose-response to trauma exposure. The current study aimed to address this gap in knowledge and to investigate the moderating role of subjects' demographics in the exposure-outcome associations. The sample included 249 civilian adults, assessed during the 2014 Israel-Gaza military conflict. The survey probed demographic information, trauma exposure, and symptoms. PTSS but not GAS was associated with exposure severity. Women were at higher risk for both PTSS and GAS than men. In addition, several demographic variables were only associated with PTSS levels. PTSS dose-response effect was moderated by education. These findings are in line with emerging neurobiological and cognitive research, suggesting that although PTSS and GAS have shared risk factors they represent two different psychopathological entities. Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed.

Keywords: Buffers; Demography; GAD; PTSD; Risk factors; Violence.

Fig. 1

Map of exposure by geographic location in Israel. Adapted from IDF Homefront Command website: http://www.oref.org.il/1096-en/Pakar.aspx using information from multiple media outlets (i.e., economist.com, haaretz.co.il, telegraph.co.uk).

Fig. 2

PTSS by years of formal education for different time to shelter groups. Note: PTSS, post-traumatic symptoms.