Systematic scientific research into Dutch war victims' complaints about psychic dysfunctioning has only rarely been conducted. In preparation for such a study on a large scale, a feasibility study was conducted. Complaints for 8 war victims, aged 61 to 73, of psychic dysfunctioning, were analysed by means of several questionnaires, psychiatric survey, a life-span development interview, and ambulatory polygraphic recordings of the sleep-wake patterns. All subjects met with the DSM-III-R criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder, ranging from mild to very severe. It was also clear that patterns of manifest posttraumatic stress disorder differed over time. Highly prevalent complaints were about sleep disturbances, anxiety, and vital exhaustion. Increase in complaints about psychic dysfunctioning appeared to be positively associated often with the occurrence of stressfull life changes.