Reintegrating Subjective and Objective Aspects of War-Related PTSD

Abstract

Studies of PTSD in military populations have repeatedly demonstrated a dose-response relationship between combat exposures and PTSD symptoms. While this relationship is compelling, the strong focus on objective events (combat exposures) has lead to a diminished emphasis on subjective reactions such as horror and helplessness. In this manuscript we (1) replicate the dose-response relationship in a sample of Navy personnel deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom, and (2) demonstrate that subjective reactions to events account for more of the variance in PTSD than is explained by objectively reported combat exposures. We conclude that service members must be prepared not just for general aspects of combat stress, but also for feelings of intense fear, helplessness, or horror.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 14, 2008
Accession Number
ADA620092

Entities

People

  • David Service
  • Emily A Schmied
  • Gerald Larson
  • Heidi Kraft
  • Robert L. Koffman
  • Robyn M. High-mcroy
  • Stephanie Booth-Kewley

Organizations

  • Naval Health Research Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Afghanistan Conflict
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Behavioral Sciences
  • Department Of Veterans Affairs
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Improvised Explosive Devices
  • Iraqi-War
  • Medical Personnel
  • Mental Disorders
  • Military Personnel
  • Psychiatry
  • Psychology
  • Regression Analysis
  • Surveys
  • Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • United States
  • War

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Mental Health of Military Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Risk Factors, Prevalence, Symptoms, and Treatment.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Psychological Intervention/Treatment for Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, and Related Emotional and Cognitive Health Symptoms.