When Home Isn’t a Safe Haven: Insecure Attachment Orientations, Perceived Social Support, and PTSD Symptoms Among Israeli Evacuees Under Missile Threat

This study examined a theoretically based mediation model including intensity of trauma exposure, adult attachment, perceived social support, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The sample consisted of 135 Israeli students who were evacuated from a college campus located near the Israel–Gaza border in response to increased missile fire in the area. An Internet-based data collection procedure was used to survey the evacuees, who remained within the affected region. Individuals at different locations within the affected area were exposed to different levels of trauma intensity. Results indicated that intensity of trauma exposure did not affect levels of PTSD symptoms or perceived social support. Structural equation modeling showed that the link between attachment anxiety and PTSD symptoms is mediated by low levels of perceived social support. These findings underscore the role of interpersonal resources in the psychological sequelae of exposure to a continuous, life-threatening situation by highlighting the negative role played by low perceived social support among insecurely attached individuals exposed to missile attacks. Theoretical and clinical implications of the findings are discussed.