AIR RAID ALERTS AS A FACTOR OF CHRONIC STRESS EXPOSURE: SPECIFIC FEATURES OF POST-TRAUMATIC RESPONSE, DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, AND LEARNED HELPLESSNESS

Kats Valeri

This article presents the results of an empirical study examining neuropsychological and psycho-emotional responses of individuals from different age groups to prolonged exposure to air raid alerts as a form of chronic acoustic stress. The aim of the study was to conduct a comprehensive analysis of anxiety levels, manifestations of learned helplessness, and adaptive strategies under conditions of retraumatization. The research tools included the Impact of Event Scale – Revised (IES-R), adapted into Russian and Hebrew, along with a self-report questionnaire. The total sample comprised 134 participants (66 men and 68 women) aged 16 and above, including respondents from the 61+ age group. The results revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between anxiety and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (r = 0.892, p < 0.001). A Student’s t-test confirmed that women exhibited significantly higher levels of PTSD symptoms compared to men (t = –4.741, p < 0.001). An analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated age-related differences in PTSD severity (F = 2.804, p = 0.043, η² = 0.067), with younger and older participants demonstrating predominantly emotional and cognitive forms of maladaptation, respectively. Furthermore, significant differences were found between participants who completed the questionnaire in Russian and those who responded in Hebrew: Russian-speaking respondents reported higher levels of PTSD symptoms (t = 3.146, p = 0.002; Cohen’s d = 0.588). These findings may inform the development of psychological support programs and strategies for preventing chronic stress reactions under prolonged threat exposure.

Keywords:anxiety disorder, learned helplessness, neuropsychology, adaptation, chronic stress, retraumatization, depression, somatization, affective disorders, psychological maladjustment, neurasthenia