Correlates of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in Marines Back From War

Abstract

The effect of combat and operational stress on the mental health of military personnel is a major concern. The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with possible posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A questionnaire was completed by 1,569 Marines who deployed in support of conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan (2002-2007). Using the PTSD Checklist with a cutoff score of 44, 17.1% of the sample screened positive for possible PTSD. Of 9 demographic and psychosocial factors examined in relation to PTSD, 4 were significant in a multivariate analysis: deployment-related stressors, combat exposure, marital status, and education. Deployment related stressors had a stronger association with PTSD than any other variable. This is an important finding because deployment-related stressors are potentially modifiable.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2010
Accession Number
ADA514734

Entities

People

  • Cedric F. Garland
  • Gerald E. Larson
  • Robyn M. Highfill-McRoy
  • Stephanie Booth-Kewley
  • Thomas A. Gaskin

Organizations

  • Naval Health Research Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Active Duty
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Behavioral Sciences
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Health Services
  • Improvised Explosive Devices
  • Iraqi-War
  • Medical Personnel
  • Mental Disorders
  • Mental Health
  • Military Personnel
  • Psychiatry
  • Psychology
  • Regression Analysis
  • Social Psychology
  • Surveys
  • Traumatic Stress Disorder

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Mental Health of Military Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Risk Factors, Prevalence, Symptoms, and Treatment.