Self-criticism confers vulnerability to psychopathology in the face of perceived stress related to missile attacks: Three longitudinal studies

Self-criticism is implicated in a wide array of psychopathologies. The authors examined its role in vulnerability to psychopathology in the face of terrorism-related perceived stress. Three independent longitudinal studies were conducted on 67 undergraduates, 78 young adults, and 55 chronic pain patients, respectively. Assessments were employed prior and subsequent to operation OFERET YETZUKA, during which the Israeli Negev has been exposed to missile attacks. The expected interaction between self-criticism and perceived terrorism-related stress was found in all studies, although in Study 2 it was shown for participants with low levels of baseline psychopathology. Self-criticism might lead to general psychopathology in the face of perceived stress-related exposure to missile attacks, presumably via ruminative thinking.