Part I. Introduction: 1. Trauma and disaster R. J. Ursano, C . S. Fullerton and B. G. McCaughey; Part II. The Nature of Traumatic Stress: 2. The psychology of terror and its aftermath H. C. Holloway and C. S. Fullerton; 3. Exposure to traumatic death: the nature of the stressor R. J. Ursano and J. E. McCarroll; 4. Psychological and psychiatric aspects of technological disasters L. Weisaeth; 5. Traumatic effects of accidents U. F. Malt; 6.The human experience of earthquakes B. G. McCaughey, K. J. Hoffman and C. H. Llewellyn; 7. Psychological effects of toxic contamination B. L. Green, J. D . Lindy and M. C. Grace; Part III. The Role of Psychosocial Contaxt in Responses to Trauma and Disasters: 8. Social support and perceived control as moderators of responses to dioxin and flood exposure S. D. Solomon and E. M. Smith; 9. Debriefing following traumatic exposure A. Y. Shalev; 10. Relocation stress following natural disasters E. T. Gerrity and P. Steinglass; 11. Group reactions to trauma: an avalanche accident P. Herlofsen; 12. Community responses to disaster: the Gander plane crash K. M. Wright and P. T. Bartone; Part IV. Responses to Trauma Across the Life Cycle: 13. Children of war and children at war: child victims of terrorism in Mozambique J. A. Shaw and J. J. Harris; 14. Stress and coping with the trauma of war in the Persian Gulf: the hospital ship USNS Comfort M. P. Dinneen, R. J. Pentzien and J. M. Mateczun; 15. Long-term sequelae of combat in World War II, Korea and Vietnam: a comparative study R. Rosenheck and A. Fontana; 16. Psychophysiological aspects of chronic stress following trauma L. M. Davidson and A. Baum; 17. Individual and community reactions to the Kentucky floods: findings from a longitudinal study of older adults F. H. Norris, J. F. Phifer and K. Kaniasty; Conclusions; 18. The structure of human chaos R. J. Ursano, B. G. McCaughey and C .S. Fullerton.