Stress reactions in disaster victims following the Bijlmermeer plane crash

This article examined posttraumatic stress symptoms in a sample of disaster victims following the Bijlmermeer plane crash of October 1992, in the Netherlands. Findings indicated that sir: months after the disaster 26% of the respondents were suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The victims' PTSD was strongly associated with material damage and loss. The discussion of the results focuses on the distinction between normal and pathological stress reactions and the implications for disaster after-care.