Symptoms of Depression and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder as Predictors of Separation from the U.S. Military
Abstract
Populations affected by psychological distress are at risk of adverse career outcomes. Depression has been associated with work absenteeism, reduced productivity, and unemployment, although the magnitude of these effects is unclear (Lerner and Henke, 2008). In this report, we clarify the association between symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and subsequent workforce separation through a large-scale prospective study that uses self-reported symptoms rather than medical records, which cannot typically be used to evaluate subclinical mental health symptoms. We contribute new insights to the literature (Hoge, Auchterlonie, and Milliken, 2006; Hoge et al., 2002; Schmied et al., 2013; Schmied, Highfill-McRoy, and Larson, 2012;Vasterling et al., 2015; Wright et al., 2012) by using mental-health measures that evaluate psychological distress on a continuum rather than as merely present or absent, by controlling for a more complete set of characteristics that may be correlated with career outcomes, and by focusing on a large, representative sample of active-component members serving in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1152674
Entities
People
- Andrew R Morral
- Margaret Tankard
- Terry L Schell
Organizations
- RAND Corporation