1. An examination of the effects of the Lebanese war on the citizens found that traumatic war events can be regarded as of primary importance for risk factors triggering the onset of schizophreni2. The overall findings indicate an increasein the rate of admission for men diagnosed with schizophrenia throughout the 12 years of the war. The most significant increases occurred either following intensive fighting episodes or months later due to the additive effect of stress. 3. How soon individuals are affected by environmentally induced war stress may be related to their level of vulnerability to the disorder.