Impediments to Mental Health Treatment as Predictors of Mental Health Symptoms Following Combat
Abstract
This longitudinal study examined whether impediments to mental health treatment would predict changes in mental health symptoms (posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] and depression) in the months following soldiers returning from combat. Three‐hundred ten combat veterans completed measures of impediments to treatment and measures of PTSD and depression symptoms at 2, 3, and 4 months following a 15‐month combat deployment. Structural equation modeling revealed that greater impediments (a latent variable indexed by stigma, practical barriers, and negative treatment attitudes) at 2 months predicted increased PTSD and depression symptoms from 2–3 months (β = .14) and greater impediments at 3 months predicted increased symptoms from 3–4 months (β = .26). In contrast, evidence was not obtained for the opposite causal direction of symptoms predicting higher levels of impediments at the different periods. Possible mechanisms for the predictive effects of impediments are discussed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2014
- Source ID
- 10.1002/jts.21946
Entities
People
- Dewayne Moore
- Kathleen M. Wright
- Thomas W. Britt
Organizations
- Clemson University
- United States Army Medical Research and Development Command
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research