Am J Psychiatry 1984; 141:956-959
Copyright © 1984 by American Psychiatric Association
Combat adaptations of Vietnam veterans without posttraumatic stress disorders
H Hendin and A Pollinger Haas
Ten veterans who did not develop posttraumatic stress after intense combat
in Vietnam were studied to explain what had protected them. The authors
found a highly consistent adaptation to combat: During combat each of these
veterans had exhibited calmness under pressure, intellectual control,
acceptance of fear, and a lack of excessively violent or guilt-arousing
behavior. The authors believe that these traits may be part of an
adaptation uniquely suitable for preserving emotional stability in an
unstructured, unstable context.
