ABSTRACT

This chapter deals with the problem of determining the positive and negative factors of psychological resilience to the experience of the terrorist threat. The risk factors are psychopatho-logical symptoms and signs of post-traumatic stress. Their presence presumably increases susceptibility to the terrorist threat. Resource factors are the components of psychological well-being and features of life prospects. The entire sample showed a negative relationship between the experience of the terrorist threat and positive factors and a positive relationship with risk factors. People, who are resistant to the threat of terrorist attacks, report a lower level of psycho-pathological symptoms and a higher estimate of their psychological well-being. They are more positive about their social relations, strive for greater autonomy, easier to cope with everyday tasks, have life goals, and strive for self-development. Women experience more intense terrorist threat than men, they are less resilient to information about terrorism, anticipate terrorist attacks, and are therefore more stressed. A high level of anxiety is manifested in the motivational content of the life perspective: in women it is associated with concern for loved ones, and in men—with concern for their own lives and well-being. Age specificity was studied: respondents, older than 35 years, experience more intense terrorist threat, have more pronounced signs of stress, and their level of psychological well-being is lower than that of younger age groups.