The aim of the study is analysis of psychological characteristics of 38 wounded war veterans (males, aged 40 years, have 11,5 years of schooling on average) wounded in the war waged on the territory of former Yugoslavia (1991-1995) and treated in special institutions for rehabilitation. Controls are 419 war veterans and 968 non-combatants (soldiers without war experience). Horovic’s scale of stress impact (IES-R) and Profile Index Emotions test (PIE-JRS) were used.

The results of IES-R have shown existence of the two equal groups - one with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the other without. Their group protocols on PIE were then compared (t-test). Combatants versus non-combatants express considerably lower reproduction, protection and BIAS (p<0,001) but higher orientation and deprivation (p<0,005). The wounded, in comparison both with combatants and non-combatants express higher protection (p<0,005) and deprivation (p<0,001), but lower orientation (p<0,005). The wounded with PTSD achieve significantly lower scores on the aggression dimension (p<0,001).

Physical injury reduces chance the for development of anxiety or conflictive feelings related to the traumatic event, because unlike psychic traumas, physical injuries cause much more sympathy and affection of environment often enabling away out from the stressful situation (leaving the combat area and going to treatment or sick leave). Obtained results show that injuries can be (to the wounded) a protective mechanism for the occurrence and development of PTSD.