ABSTRACT
In recent years the study of extremely stressful life events on the psychic functioning of the survivor has emerged as an important area of psychia try, psychology, and other social sciences (e. g., Figley, 1985; Lifton, 1980; Eitinger & Strom, 1973; Figley & Leventman, 1980). As a result of clinical, epidemiological, and empirical research, there now exists a substantial set of research on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or what might be termed more broadly as stress response syndromes in survivors and victims (e.g., Horowitz, 1976; Figley, 1985; Gieser, Green, & Winget, 1981).
