Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among Survivors of a Kamikaze Attack

Abstract

26 sailors who survived a Kamikaze attack during the battle for Okinawa in World War II were given two adapted forms of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist–Civilian to assess the psychological reactions they had to the sinking of their ship. Depending on the assessment criteria used, their responses indicated significant stress reactions ranging from 8.3% to 44% of the sample. The findings provide evidence that a single combat experience can have lifelong, averse psychological effects.