Identification of Risk Factors for Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Abstract

The primary research aims are to examine the early longitudinal course of PTSD symptoms and test hypotheses regarding risk factors for chronic PTSD in military personnel returning from Iraq or Afghanistan. To date, 152 subjects have completed baseline interviews; 6, 12, and 24 month interviews have been completed for 110, 66, and 24 participants respectively. Preliminary findings from analyses of 100 baseline and 81 6 month follow-ups show that while 17% met full criteria for PTSD, over half reported 3 or more symptoms of PTSD at baseline, with symptoms of hyperarousal the most common. Total CAPS scores decrease significantly from baseline to 6 and 12 months; rates of remission for individual symptoms were variable, ranging from 3% to 36%. PTSD symptoms were significantly associated with psychosocial impairment. Psychosocial variables showing significant associations with PTSD include pre-deployment trauma, severity of warzone trauma exposure, lower post-deployment social support, and higher post-deployment life stress.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 2008
Accession Number
ADA615368

Entities

People

  • M. T. Shea
  • Norman J. Hebert

Organizations

  • Brown University

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Deployment
  • Depression
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Health Services
  • Identification
  • Medical Personnel
  • Mental Disorders
  • Mental Health
  • Military Personnel
  • Mood Disorders
  • National Guard
  • Psychiatry
  • Rhode Island
  • Risk Factors
  • Social Psychology
  • Traumatic Stress Disorder

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Mental Health of Military Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Risk Factors, Prevalence, Symptoms, and Treatment.
  • Psychological Intervention/Treatment for Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, and Related Emotional and Cognitive Health Symptoms.