Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the Canadian Vietnam Veteran
Abstract
The study of PTSD among these Canadian Vietnam veterans is important for several reasons. One is the nature of their homecoming and subsequent readjustment experiences. While many Americans returned to the U.S. to face hostility and rejection for their role in the war, Canadians essentially returned home to a void. They found neither rejection nor recognition. A second reason why the study of these Canadian veterans is important concerns the issue of secondary gain. Prior to the inclusion of PTSD as a distinct psychiatric diagnosis, veterans who complained of psychological readjustment problems were often thought to be faking symptoms in order to gain compensation from the VA. Canadian Vietnam veterans are not eligible for benefits from the federal Veterans Affairs department in Canada because they did not serve as part of a Canadian government sponsored effort. The study of Canadian Vietnam veterans can provide insight on post-combat factors which affect the course of recovery from PTSD. One objective of this research is to determine whether being ignored by society, is more or less detrimental to recovery from PTSD than is returning to negative and/or hostile reactions by society. To this end, the prevalence of PTSD among Canadian Vietnam veterans in the study will be compared with that found for American Vietnam veterans using the same assessment questionnaire.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 30, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA208430
Entities
People
- Robert H. Stretch
Organizations
- United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine